IndiGo gets six-month DGCA approval to keep Turkish B777 aircraft

IndiGo on Thursday said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has accepted its request to extend the wet lease of two Boeing 777 aircraft from Turkish Airlines for another six months from September 1, a move that will allow uninterrupted operations on the Delhi–Istanbul route.

 

The approval comes despite the regulator’s May 30 directive that IndiGo must return the aircraft by August 31, when it granted only a “last and final” three-month extension. That order was issued against the backdrop of diplomatic tensions with Turkey following its full backing of Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor on May 7.

 

 

An IndiGo spokesperson on Thursday said: “This approval comes at a crucial time and will help mitigate losses to Indian aviation due to geopolitical restrictions, and greatly benefit travellers during the peak travel season by ensuring a seamless, direct connection to Istanbul and points beyond.”

 

“Given the current geopolitical challenges, this extension provides much-needed continuity and stability in operations, allowing us to better serve the growing demand for international travel,” the spokesperson stated.

 

People familiar with the matter said IndiGo pressed for the latest approval because Pakistan’s airspace restrictions have continued since April, making it unviable for the airline to deploy its Airbus A321 aircraft on the route. Without the widebody planes, IndiGo would have been forced to cancel its services, leaving Turkish Airlines as the sole operator, they said.

 

IndiGo began leasing the Turkish B777s in 2023 to launch long-haul services to Istanbul, which lies beyond the range of its narrowbody fleet. Of its more than 430 aircraft, nearly all are narrowbodies, with only a few widebodies leased from Turkish Airlines and Norse Atlantic Airways.