IndiGo set to soar into global skies

The Indian budget carrier will operate its maiden international flight on September 1, connecting New Delhi with Dubai. It will subsequently start its flight operations to connect New Delhi with Bangkok and Singapore from September 8 and September 15, respectively. The first low cost Indian carrier will start daily flight operations from Mumbai to connect Dubai and Bangkok with the country’s financial capital from October 2.

The airline will offer a promotional return fare of Rs 9,999, including taxes and all surcharges on all its international routes, IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh said, while announcing the carrier’s international operation plan here on Tuesday. The airline will deploy eight to nine aircraft for the purpose.

“We will target high-density traffic international routes,” Ghosh said, adding that IndiGo plans to expand its fleet from 39 to 60 aircraft by December 2012. The carrier will hire about 200 pilots, 900 crews and 500 to 600 engineers in next 18 months, Ghosh said.

IndiGo marked its journey into the Indian skies in August 2006 and now it is the second largest airlines in the country with a whopping market share of 19.7 per cent.

IndiGo, which has 39 Airbus planes, will complete five years in August. The airline currently operates 259 daily flights to 26 destinations across India.According Ghosh, IndiGo has plans to start flights to Kathmandu and Muscat.