IndiGo To Deploy First Leased Wide-Body Boeing Aircraft On Delhi-Bangkok Route From March 1

IndiGo will begin operations with its first leased wide-body Boeing aircraft on the Delhi-Bangkok route starting in March, the airline said Tuesday.

IndiGo, a longtime Airbus customer, is now adding Boeing planes into its fleet to expand capacity amid a shortage of aircraft in the market. The induction of a temporarily leased Boeing B787- 9 wide body aircraft from Norwegian carrier, Norse Atlantic, comes ahead of IndiGo's delivery of XLRs in fiscal year 2026 and A350s in 2027, it said in a statement.

On Dec. 26, NDTV Profit reported that IndiGo was in talks to advance its aircraft rental agreements to as early as February, in a bid to capitalise on the surge in international travel. This move is in sync with the country's largest airline's broader plans to enter European destinations this summer, competing with rival Air India.

"As India's aviation sector undergoes rapid transformation to keep pace with unprecedented growth in demand for travel, IndiGo is well-positioned to lead this expansion," said Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers. "The early induction of wide body aircraft marks a significant milestone in our journey. Starting between Delhi and Bangkok, we intend to shift to Europe from mid-summer."

Earlier this year, IndiGo entered into damp lease agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways for a Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Under a damp lease, the lessor provides the aircraft along with part of the crew, usually just the pilots. Elbers said that the airline will continue exploring opportunities to contract additional aircraft.

The Norse Atlantic aircraft features 56 premium seats, which IndiGo will promote as its business class offering—referred to as the Stretch—alongside 282 economy class seats.

In mid-November 2024, IndiGo launched a tailor-made business class product called IndiGoStretch on India's busiest routes.

"We are thrilled to introduce the comfort of IndiGoStretch on our regional international route, after the positive and encouraging feedback domestically," Elbers said.