IndiGo seeks final approval from DGCA to wet lease B777 aircraft

New Delhi, Dec 16

After receiving in-principle approval for inducting B777 aircraft on a wet lease basis from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA), IndiGo has now applied for final approval from the aviation regulator DGCA for these operations as per the prescribed procedure.

In coordination with the process of these approvals, IndiGo will soon make this 777-capacity available for sale on the Delhi - Istanbul - Delhi route, subject to regulatory approvals.

"We are working closely with the authorities to ensure all the required steps to obtain the approvals are completed well in time and will consider the earliest the go-live date for these aircraft in line with expected receipt of requisite approvals. This wet lease solution will also enable us to better utilize our A321 narrow body fleet to continue our network deployment in light of the global supply chain issues," said the Indigo Spokesperson.

IndiGo airline is planning to wet lease aircrafts to meet the growing demand for air travel. Under 'wet lease' arrangement, the lessor maintains operational control of flights while providing aircraft and crew.

Keeping in view the demand and growth in the aviation traffic, Indigo is looking to expand its fleet and International operations.

Earlier, on the occasion of declaring recent financial results of the airline, Indigo CEO Pieter Elbers said, "We are on a steady path to recovery, benefiting from enormous opportunities both in domestic and international markets. With an industry challenged by global supply chain disruptions, we are working on various counter measures to accommodate this strong demand. We have an unparalleled network presence enabling air travel to 74 domestic and 26 International destinations, we will continue to accelerate and build on this."

As of September 30, a fleet of 279 aircraft, including 26 A320 CEOs, 149 A320 NEOs, 68 A321 NEOs, 35 ATRs and 1 A321 freighter; there was a net decrease of three passenger aircraft during the quarter. IndiGo operated at a peak of 1,630 daily flights during the quarter, including non-scheduled flights.