IndiGo

InterGlobe Aviation Limited, doing business as IndiGo, is an Indian low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is the largest airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size, with a 61.6% domestic market share as of May 2024. It is the largest individual Asian airline, and one of the largest in the world in terms of passengers carried, with more than 100 million passengers carried in 2023. , IndiGo operates over 2,000 daily flights to 122 destinations – 88 domestic and 34 international, with a fleet of over 360 aircraft. It has its primary hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.

The airline was founded as a private company by Rahul Bhatia of InterGlobe Enterprises and Rakesh Gangwal in 2006. It took delivery of its first aircraft in July 2006 and commenced operations a month later. The airline became the largest Indian carrier by passenger market share in 2012. The company went public in November 2015. IndiGo was ranked as the fifteenth most punctual airline globally in 2022 by OAG.

History
IndiGo was founded in 2006 as a private company by Rahul Bhatia of InterGlobe Enterprises and Rakesh Gangwal, a United States-based expatriate Indian. InterGlobe had a 51.12% stake in IndiGo and 47.88% was held by Gangwal's Virginia-based company, Caelum Investments. IndiGo placed a firm order for 100 Airbus A320-200 aircraft in June 2005 with plans to begin operations in mid-2006. IndiGo took delivery of its first aircraft on 28 July 2006, nearly a year after placing the order. It commenced operations on 4 August 2006 with a service from New Delhi to Imphal via Guwahati. By the end of 2006, the airline had six aircraft, and nine more were acquired in 2007. In December 2010, IndiGo replaced state-run carrier Air India as the third largest airline in India, behind Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways with a passenger market share of 17.3%.

In 2011, IndiGo placed an order for 180 Airbus A320 aircraft in a deal worth US$15 billion. In January 2011, after completing five years of operations, the airline was permitted to launch international flights. In December 2011, the DGCA expressed reservations that the rapid expansion could impact passenger safety.

In February 2012, IndiGo took delivery of its 50th aircraft, less than six years after it began operations. For the quarter ending March 2012, IndiGo was the most profitable airline in India and became the second largest airline in India in terms of passenger market share. On 17 August 2012, IndiGo became the largest airline in India in terms of market share surpassing Jet Airways, six years after commencing operations.

In January 2013, IndiGo was the second-fastest-growing low-cost carrier in Asia behind Indonesian airline Lion Air. In February 2013, following the announcement of the Civil Aviation Ministry that it would allow IndiGo to take delivery of only five aircraft that year, the airline planned to introduce low-cost regional flights by setting up a subsidiary. Later, IndiGo announced that it planned to seek permission from the ministry to acquire four more aircraft, therefore taking delivery of nine aircraft in 2013. , IndiGo is the second-largest low-cost carrier in Asia in terms of seats flown.

In August 2015, IndiGo placed an order for 250 Airbus A320neo aircraft worth $27 billion, making it the largest single order ever in Airbus history. IndiGo announced a inr 30180000000 initial public offering on 19 October 2015 which opened on 27 October 2015.

In October 2019, IndiGo placed an order for 300 Airbus A320neo aircraft worth inr 2300000000000, surpassing its own record of the largest single order ever in Airbus history. In December 2019, the airline became the first Indian airline to operate 1,500 daily flights. On 31 December 2019, it became India's first airline to have a fleet size of more than 250 aircraft.

In January 2023, the airline became the first Indian airline to have a fleet size of more than 300 aircraft. In February 2023, the airline inducted the first wide-body aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER to its fleet. In June 2023, the airline placed an order for 500 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, making it the largest aircraft order in commercial aviation history. As of November 2023, IndiGo had a 61.8% domestic market share. In December 2023, IndiGo became the first Indian airline to have ferried more than 100 million passengers in a calendar year.

Corporate affairs
IndiGo is headquartered in Gurgaon, India. The company is publicly listed under the moniker NSE: INDIGO.

Logo and livery
Twenty dots arranged in the shape of an aircraft serves as the logo of the airline. The airline uses a two tone blue livery on a white background with the belly of the aircraft painted in Indigo with the logo in white. The flight attendants wear a single-piece navy-blue tunic with a cap and a thin indigo belt. The airline has the tagline on-time focusing on punctuality.

Operations
IndiGo became one of the fastest growing low-cost carriers in the world and the largest airline in India. The success of IndiGo has been attributed to its unique business model which reduces costs. The airline operates a single type of aircraft (Airbus A320) in similar seating configuration which simplifies crew training and maintenance. The airline strikes bulk deals with Airbus, reducing unit costs. The airline targets a quick turn-around time of 20 minutes to get the aircraft ready for the next flight, ensuring planes fly about 12 hours every day. Employees share multiple roles with a check-in staff doubling as baggage handlers. In July 2023, Indian aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation imposed a inr 3000000 fine on IndiGo for certain systemic deficiencies concerning documentation pertaining to operations, training, and engineering procedures.

Destinations


, IndiGo operates more than 2,000 daily flights to 122 destinations, 88 in India and 34 abroad. Its main base is located at Delhi, with additional bases at Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Kochi. In January 2011, IndiGo received a license to operate international flights after completing five years of operations. IndiGo's first international service was launched between New Delhi and Dubai on 1 September 2011.

Codeshare agreements
IndiGo codeshares with the following airlines:
 * Air France
 * American Airlines
 * British Airways
 * KLM
 * Qantas
 * Qatar Airways
 * Turkish Airlines
 * Virgin Atlantic

Fleet


, IndiGo operates the following aircraft:

Fleet developments
IndiGo placed an order for 100 Airbus A320-200 aircraft worth US$6 billion in June 2005 during the Paris Air Show with plans to commence operations in mid-2006. The airline received its first A320 in July 2006 and planned to induct 100 aircraft by 2015–2016. IndiGo signed a memorandum of understanding for an additional 180 Airbus A320 aircraft including 150 with the New Engine Option (NEO) worth US$15 billion on 11 January 2011. In 2012, the airline took delivery of its 50th aircraft and the 100th aircraft was delivered on 4 November 2014, completing its initial order ahead of schedule.

The Airbus A320neo family aircraft ordered in 2011 were to be delivered starting 2015. However, due to a delay in the production and delivery of these aircraft, IndiGo dry-leased a total of 22 used aircraft to cope with the demand. On 15 October 2014, IndiGo expressed its intention to order a further 250 A320neo aircraft worth US$25.7 billion at list prices. On 15 August 2015, IndiGo confirmed the order for 250 A320neo aircraft for $26.5 billion. The order also provides IndiGo the flexibility to convert some A320neos to A321neoLRs that can seat more passengers and fly on longer routes. The order for 250 jets was Airbus' single largest order by number of aircraft. IndiGo received the first A320neo in March 2016. On 10 October 2019, Airbus delivered its 1000th A320neo aircraft to IndiGo.

In May 2017, IndiGo tentatively signed for 50 ATR 72-600 for the UDAN regional connectivity scheme, to be delivered from the year end for up to 20 by the end of 2018. IndiGo took delivery of its first ATR 72-600 on 17 November 2017. On 29 October 2019, IndiGo placed a firm order for 300 A320neo Family aircraft comprising a mix of 87 A320neo, 144 A321neo and 69 A321XLR, taking IndiGo's total number of A320neo Family aircraft orders to 730.

In May 2023, IndiGo inducted its first wide-body aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER wet leased from Turkish Airlines. In June 2023, the airline placed an order for 500 Airbus A320neo family aircraft worth $55 billion excluding potential bulk-order concessions. It is the largest single aircraft order in commercial aviation history with deliveries between 2030 and 2035.

On 25 April 2024, IndiGo signed a deal for 30 Airbus A350-900s, with rights to purchase another 70 aircraft with Airbus, at a cost of US$5 billion, thereby taking the total number to a hundred wide-body aircraft. This order marked the airline's entry to consist and operate wide-body aircraft for the first time in its history in a full-fledged way, as part of its long-term future plans. The deliveries of these aircraft will begin from 2027. Since May 2024, IndiGo is also planning to place an order of at least a hundred smaller, regional aircraft such as the ATR-72, the Airbus A220 or the Embraer E175, to further give impetus on regional expansion and connectivity.

Services
Being a low-cost carrier, IndiGo offers only economy class seating. To keep fares low, IndiGo does not provide complimentary meals in any of its flights, though it does have a buy-on board in-flight meal programme. No in-flight entertainment is available and Hello 6E is the in-flight magazine published by IndiGo. IndiGo offers premium services, where the passengers can avail additional benefits like a pre-assigned seat, multiple cancellations and priority check-in at a higher fare. In September 2019, the company announced its tie up with SonyLIV, an on demand video app for providing its passengers with entertainment options in-flight and at the airport.