First Indian airline to reach 2,000 scheduled flights a day is IndiGo

IndiGo, India’s budget airline, now operates more than 2,000 scheduled flights per day. Being the first airline in the nation to reach this milestone, this is a historic moment. The announcement was made soon after the airline declared a second-quarter net profit.

The airline stated that the 2,000 planned flights included shipping, passenger service, and military charters from India. Furthermore, according to the most recent OAG Data for October 2023, IndiGo ranks among the top 10 airlines in the world in terms of frequency and seat capacity.

In contrast, budget carrier SpiceJet operates 250 scheduled flights daily, while Air India Express, the low-cost division of Air India, operates 300 daily flights. Akasa Air, a recent entrant, operates about 110 flights every day. Pieter Elbers, the chief executive officer of IndiGo, commented on this operational success:

“This achievement is a strategic leap that will position us for improved connectivity and a reimagined passenger experience, not just a numerical one. Our objective to connect people and aspirations across India is a tangible example of our dedication to giving the country wings.”

Continuous expansion

As the aviation sector continues to recover from the pandemic, low-cost carriers have been experiencing steady growth. In the past six months, IndiGo has expanded rapidly, adding 20 international routes to its network. With over 60% of the Indian domestic market, the airline currently flies to 85 domestic locations and 32 international ones.

It has emerged as one of the leading airlines for customers flying from India to medium-haul international destinations, despite the fact that its fleet type restricts its international coverage to the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

The carrier’s September 2023 quarter ended in a strong $23 million net profit. Compared to the net loss of $190 million reported during the same period previous year, this represents a substantial turnaround.

Due to the growth of the fleet

Naturally, only because IndiGo has steadily increased its fleet capacity and placed significant aircraft orders over the years is expansion and operational achievement like this possible. The low-cost carrier now has a fleet of 345 aircraft, according to information obtained from ch-aviation.

With a fleet that comprises 204 Airbus A320s, 97 Airbus A321s, 42 ATR 72 turboprops, and two Boeing 777-300ER widebodies that are leased wet, the airline is well-known for being a significant Airbus customer. Furthermore, the Indian carrier has more than 960 aircraft on order, which is a sizable order book. This year’s sizable order of 500 Airbus A320 family aircraft served to support this.