IndiGo Airlines

IndiGo Airlines is a private domestic airline based in India. It is a subsidiary of InterGlobe Enterprises[1], a leading travel conglomerate based in Delhi, India. IndiGo placed an order for 100 Airbus A320 aircraft during the 2005 Paris Air Show. The total order was worth 6 billion US $; one of the highest by any domestic carrier during the show. The airline, which plans to start operations by November 2005, is headed by Rahul Bhatia.

Former Executive Vice-President, Marketing and Planning, US Airways, Bruce Ashby has joined Indigo Airlines as their Chief Executive Officer. The Indian Government has approved the airline's aircraft import plan "in principle". The airline has also acquired 3 parking spots in Delhi and Mumbai airports. Indigo Airlines plans to have 63 departures in its first phase of operations. Capt.Praphabt Kumar Sinha ex-pilot from Singapore Airlines is the chief trainer pilot and would be leading the pilot crew of the airline.

India to Take Final Decision on Airbus Plane Purchase Tomorrow Sept. 6 (Bloomberg) -- India will take a final decision on the proposal by state-run carrier Indian Airlines Ltd. to buy 43 planes from Airbus SAS, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told reporters in New Delhi today.

A group of ministers today held negotiations with Airbus to seek cheaper prices from the world's biggest passenger planemaker, seeking a discount on the 94.75 billion rupee ($2.2 billion) price tag.

Indian Airlines needs new planes as four low-fare carriers have begun flying since it asked the government in March 2002 to buy the planes and 10 other companies are planning to start operations. Kingfisher Airlines Ltd., IndiGo and other airlines have chosen to buy 213 new planes so far this year valued at $24 billion from Airbus, Boeing Co. and Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica, to tap India's 20 percent annual air travel growth.

The purchase has been delayed because of a change in government and India wanting to negotiate further with Airbus after some lawmakers complained that the Toulouse, France-based company was selling planes at lower prices to Southeast Asian carriers, Patel had said on July 21.

New Delhi-based Indian Airlines wants four Airbus A320 planes, 20 A319s and 19 A321s to replace some of the 65 aircraft in its fleet and to expand, according to the purchase proposal.

The three aircraft models selected can carry between 124 and as much as 185 passengers each and fly as far as 3,700 nautical miles (6,850 kilometers) between India's major cities. Each aircraft has a list price of $54.4 million to $80 million.

India's public investment board, which approves large investments by state-owned companies, had approved the purchase plan in November.

Go goes for 20 A320s

Praveena Sharma

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

MUMBAI: Budget carrier GoAir, which launched its services in November 2005, placed an order for 20 planes (10 confirmed and 10 options) with French aerospace company Airbus Industrie on Wednesday in Singapore.

The total worth of the 20 A-320s aircraft, based on the list price, is around Rs 5,300 crore ($1.2 billion), and the airline is planning to use them on the north Indian and metro-to-metro routes. The company said that the aircraft would have a single-class economy layout with 180 seats.

GoAir managing director Jeh Wadia said the delivery dates of aircraft are yet to be finalised. “The delivery details and the selection of engine dealers are being worked out. We will finalise these soon,” said Wadia.

He said the airline required the planes to respond to the tremendous growth in air traffic (growing at over 28%) in India. “These aircraft will allow us to develop our network and introduce new routes not previously served,” said Wadia.

GoAir currently operates 24 flights to 11 Indian cities on its three leased A320s.

The budget carrier, which is being promoted by the Rs 1,200-crore Bombay Dyeing group, will fund the aircraft acquisition through both internal and external resources. “We have not yet drawn up a road map for the funding of the order,” said Wadia.

Today, India is among the world’s biggest buyers of aircraft. Almost all the airlines, Jet Airways, Kingfisher, Air Deccan and SpiceJet have placed orders for the new aircraft last year.

Last year, the yet-to-be-launched IndiGo Airlines created a furore at the Paris air show by ordering 100 A320s. Over the last one year, Indian air carriers have placed orders for over 400 aircraft.

Analysts say that with the aviation sector growing at over 28%, the addition of new capacity on existing and new routes will easily fill up.

“In fact, there is room for more capacity on several sectors,” said an analyst. However, they caution that even as airlines expand their network and raise capacity, yield and revenue management on flights would play a very important role in ensuring that the rising cost of operation does not burn a hole in their pockets.