IndiGo will mark its foray into long-haul operations with the launch of European flights in July.
The Indian operator on 6 March disclosed Manchester and Amsterdam as the first two cities it will be operating to with its fleet of damp-leased Boeing 787-9s.
The two cities will see thrice-week flights from Delhi from July, with IndiGo stating that the frequencies “could further grow” when more leased 787s enter the fleet.
The low-cost carrier has damp-leased up to four 787-9s from Norse Atlantic Airways, the first of which arrived in India in March and was deployed on flights between Delhi and Bangkok.
IndiGo expects to receive the other three widebody aircraft in the second half of the year. The 787 lease is part of an “internationalisation strategy” ahead of its receiving long-range Airbus A321XLRs next year and A350s in 2027.
IndiGo will be sole operator on the Delhi-Manchester route, while it will be competing with KLM and Air India - who both operate daily flights - on the Amsterdam route.
IndiGo chief Pieter Elbers states: “India has strong ties both with the United Kingdom and the Netherlands for business and tourism; and there is a large Indian diaspora who live in these countries.”
He adds: “These new IndiGo long-haul routes are steps towards inching closer to realising our shared vision to build India into a global aviation hub.”
