NEW DELHI: IndiGo Sunday doubled its wide body aircraft order by confirming the option for 30 wide body Airbus A350s. Now the airline has 60 A350s on firm order and has an option for 40 more. “We have signed the MoU with Airbus for confirming the option for 30 A350s. Their delivery starts in 2027,” airline CEO Pieter Elbers said at the IATA AGM Sunday.“Delivery of the initial 30 A350s ordered last years will begin in 2027 and continue till the early part of next decade. Delivery of this next batch (of 30) will start after that and continue well into the second half of the next decade,”Elbers said. Last May, IndiGo had placed a firm order for 30 wide body Airbus A350 aircraft and had an option for 70 more.IndiGo had two years back started operating long hauls on wet leased (hired with operating crew) wide body Boeing 777s of Turkish Airlines, an agreement it has to end within three months now. Next month, it will start operating B787s wet leased from Norse Atlantic to Manchester and Amsterdam.Now as IndiGo has to end the wet lease with Turkish, it is deepening ties with other carriers so that passengers to new destinations like Amsterdam and Manchester can get further connectivity from those places. Accordingly, IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic Sunday announced plans to build a partnership connecting India with Europe and North America.“By linking IndiGo’s domestic network with Delta’s strength in North America and the transatlantic, the reach of Air France-KLM in Europe and North America, and the UK and transatlantic presence of Virgin Atlantic, the partnership is poised to offer travellers broader access,” IndiGo said in a statement.IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said: “IndiGo has embarked on an ambitious journey to become a global airline by 2030. This partnership (with Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic) represents a milestone to pursue commercial synergies, operational excellence and innovation…. We are particularly excited to start our long-haul expansion from this summer and connect with our partners’ networks to provide greater access to Europe and North America. This strategic partnership enables a combined customer proposition in the form of comprehensive intercontinental connectivity, seamless experience and great loyalty value.”Delta CEO Ed Bastian said: “This agreement is another example of our commitment to making travel more connected, more inclusive and more accessible. Combining our strengths with those of IndiGo, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic, will enable us to offer unparalleled connectivity and convenience, ensuring that our customers enjoy the highest standards of service and reliability across the globe. We look forward to restarting Delta’s direct service from the US to India in the near future.”Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith said: “We are very glad to extend our existing partnership with IndiGo and to do so alongside our partners Delta and Virgin Atlantic. India is a strategic market for Air France-KLM, where we have a strong and historic presence soon to increase. We look forward to welcoming IndiGo customers on our flights and to play an active role in the country’s connectivity.”Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss said: “In our 25th year of flying to India, we’re delighted to build on our Joint Venture with Delta and Air France-KLM, and our successful codeshare with IndiGo, by going further with this partnership. As IndiGo starts long haul operations, we’ll connect four of the world’s largest economies, enhancing the travel experience for our guests, from greater connectivity and optimised flight times to loyalty benefits.”
