New Delhi: India’s largest low-cost airline IndiGo will now end its damp lease agreement with Turkish Airlines for its 2 Boeing 777 aircraft by August 31 as the DGCA has given a ‘last and final’ extension to the agreement.The decision to end the partnership comes after Turkey openly backed Pakistan during the Indo-Pak skirmish earlier in May. The intense social media backlash has resulted in Turkey losing an estimated Rs.770 crore in revenue from Indian tourists.
Turkish Airlines has had an agreement with IndiGo since 2023, under which IndiGo operates two of its Boeing aircraft on the Istanbul-Delhi and Istanbul-Mumbai routes.The airline had earlier justified its partnership with Turkish Airlines, saying that it has benefited Indian travellers and boosted connectivity and job creation.IndiGo primarily operates short-haul aircraft and is looking to expand into long-haul flights as well. The airline is set to receive its deliveries of the wide-body Airbus A350-900 in 2027.
Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, on Friday said at an event in Delhi, “Flights between India and Türkiye are governed within the bilateral air service agreement. We are compliant today and we will continue to comply with any government regulations on those lines.”
Earlier this month, reports surfaced about Air India’s lobbying efforts to cancel the IndiGo and Turkish Airlines partnership, with Air India issuing a statement denying any involvement in the matter.
“As the aviation industry navigates complex geopolitical landscapes, the DGCA’s decision underscores the delicate balance between operational needs and national interests. The extension provides IndiGo with a temporary solution to its capacity challenges while the airline progresses towards establishing its own wide-body operations,” a government official said on the matter.
