IndiGo has inducted its first wide-body aircraft, a Boeing 777, which it will operate in the Delhi-Istanbul sector. It will commence operations with the leased jetliner on February 1. Turkey was one of India's top choices for outbound tourism in 2022.
The Delhi-Istanbul-Delhi sector is one of the most popular international routes, said Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo, adding that the introduction of wide-body aircraft will not only increase IndiGo’s capacity to Istanbul but also to Europe through codeshare flights with Turkish Airlines. These flights will cater to business and leisure travellers.
The Boeing 777 can seat up to 400 passengers in a dual-class configuration, and the airline will offer hot meal options for the first time in this sector. In addition to purchasing hot meals, passengers will also have a choice of buying blankets, pillows, and amenity kits on the flight.
The induction of a wide-body jetliner on lease marks a major change for the low-cost carrier, which has only operated single-aisle jetliners belonging to the Airbus A320neo family and ATR-72 Regional Transport Aircraft.
The Boeing 777 has been acquired from Turkish Airlines on a damp lease, which is defined as a wet-leased aircraft that includes a cockpit crew but not cabin attendants. When aircraft is taken on wet lease, it includes the crew, cabin attendants and aircraft maintenance personnel.
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