Indian budget carrier IndiGo has been on rapid expansion spree ever since it started its operation. Today IndiGo is the largest airline in the country, both in terms of passengers carried and numbers of aircraft. AviationSource writer Gaurav Gowda reports.
Indigo recently started operation Boeing 777 wet leased from Turkish airlines, this has helped the airline to further expand itself in the international market and open new destinations.
The budget carrier recently announced new international routes and increased in frequency in its existing ones.
Domestic route expansion
On the local front, IndiGo recently added Nashik as its 77th domestic destination, making it their 103rd destination in its entire network. With effect from March 15, IndiGo will fly from Nashik to Goa, Nagpur and Ahmedabad.
This will help passengers from Nashik with better connectivity with other major cities in the country.
The airline also announced that effective March 13, the airline will also operate Hubbali – Pune on daily basis upgrading from its twice a week flight.
This move is encouraging more passengers to fly, as this route has been receiving overwhelming response. The move is also expected to help the airline further monopolize domestically, as no other airline in India operates on this route yet.
Pune – Hubballi
Union minister Pralhad Joshi said in a tweet: “I have already had a discussion with IndiGo officials, and they have given their green signal to operate the daily flight to Pune from Hubballi airport.”
“The flight has been operating twice a week on Saturdays and Sundays since February 4. Pune, one of the important destinations from Hubballi, will be connected daily from Hubballi from March 13.”
The airport authorities of Hubbali also welcomed this decision and have already started making appropriate arrangements for this new service.
Pramod Kumar Thakare, the director of Hubballi airport, said “We have cleared our slots in response to the proposal submitted by IndiGo.”
“There is a good response to the Pune route from Hubballi, we are also trying to introduce flights to Ahmedabad, Cochin, Jodhpur, Goa among other cities and soon it will become a reality.”
North Goa
Indigo also announced a new route connecting Visakhapatnam International Airport to North Goa Airport, in Mopa.
This route is expected to start 28 March onwards, initially the airline plans to operate this route thrice weekly (Tuesday, Thursday& Saturday).
This will also give the airline an upper hand in this sector, as all the rival airlines operating this sector do not offer a direct flight, and they only provide a layover in nearby major city.
With summer holidays right around the corner this route can be more profitable than expected for IndiGo.
