IndiGo to operate leased Boeing 787 on Delhi-Bangkok route, Europe flights planned for mid-summer

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, will begin operating a damp-leased Boeing 787-9 from Norse Atlantic Airways on the Delhi-Bangkok route starting March 1. This marks the airline’s first deployment of a wide-body aircraft, with plans to introduce flights to Europe by mid-summer—its first direct connection to the continent.

The Boeing 787-9, which can handle long-haul flights, will initially serve a shorter, high-demand route to Bangkok as IndiGo builds its long-haul operations. IndiGo’s premium “IndiGoStretch” class will be available on the aircraft.

The move is part of IndiGo’s broader international expansion strategy, following its rapid network growth across Central Asia, the Caucasus, Southeast Asia, and Africa.

Looking ahead, IndiGo plans to induct Airbus A321XLR (2025-26) and Airbus A350 (2027) for medium- and long-haul flights. However, instead of waiting for these aircraft, IndiGo has opted to lease wide-body planes to accelerate its expansion into long-haul markets.

This shift marks a significant departure from IndiGo’s traditional low-cost model, which has focused on single-type narrow-body aircraft. The airline currently operates only two other wide-body planes—leased Boeing 777s from Turkish Airlines for India-Turkey flights.