IndiGo is making a significant move in its strategy to expand internationally, as it plans to add six new destinations in Asia and Africa. In late July and early August, direct flights from Mumbai will connect Nairobi, Kenya, and Jakarta, Indonesia. In August, Delhi will be connected to Tbilisi, Georgia (3x) and Baku, Azerbaijan (4x), and in September, it will have connections to Tashkent, Uzbekistan (4x), and Almaty, Kazakhstan (3x). This expansion will result in a remarkable increase of 174 new weekly international flights between June and September 2023. IndiGo aims to cater to the growing demand for international travel to, from, and via India, providing new destinations, routes, and frequencies.
This extensive international expansion is a key part of IndiGo's strategy to reach new heights and explore new frontiers under the leadership of its CEO, Pieter Elbers, who joined the airline ten months ago. By executing this strategic expansion plan, IndiGo aims to offer exciting opportunities for customers to travel worldwide with their services.
In addition to the new routes, IndiGo will resume daily services from Delhi to Hong Kong in August, giving passengers more travel options. This flight was suspended three years ago due to the impact of Covid-19 but will now be reinstated. These new flights will open up remarkable opportunities for both business and leisure travelers, providing seamless connectivity.
Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, expressed his excitement about the ambitious international network expansion plans, emphasizing their commitment to enable travel for the Indian nation. He stated that this expansion will establish unparalleled connections between people and places. The addition of new destinations, direct flight routes, increased flight frequencies, and strategic codeshare partnerships will allow IndiGo to expand its footprint across four continents, including Africa and Central Asia for the first time. As a result of this network expansion, IndiGo will directly serve 32 international destinations, in addition to its 78 domestic destinations.
Strengthening ties between India and the Middle East is also a focus of IndiGo's plans. The airline intends to launch more direct international services to connect Middle Eastern destinations with more Indian cities. Over the next few months, IndiGo plans to connect Dammam with Lucknow, Chennai, and Kochi; Abu Dhabi with Goa, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad; Ras Al Khaimah with Hyderabad; and Bahrain with Kochi. Additionally, they will connect Jeddah to Ahmedabad. These expansions aim to provide travelers with a wide range of destination choices and convenient flight schedules.
Furthermore, IndiGo will offer direct international connectivity from Bhubaneshwar and has plans for international flights from North Goa Airport. Starting from June 2023, the airline will operate exclusive flights from Bhubaneshwar to Singapore and Bangkok.
IndiGo has been enhancing connectivity in Europe and North America through codeshare connections with Turkish Airlines. Presently, IndiGo offers connectivity to 33 European destinations via Istanbul. The codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines will soon provide connectivity to North America, pending final regulatory approvals. This partnership enables passengers to experience hassle-free transfers, access a vast network, and enjoy a seamless travel experience across continents.