Indigo sets foot in Europe with new 787 service

After establishing a majority in the Indian skies, India's favourite LCC sets out to capture the long-haul market as well. With its first service to Manchester, Indigo has officially entered the wide body operations segment in the West.

The first flight took off today, 1st July, from Mumbai, operated by LN-FNC, the 787 Dreamliner leased from Norse. Indigo also has a service planned to kick off tomorrow, 2nd July, to Amsterdam, a popular European tourist destination for Indian travellers.

Indigo's CEO Pieter Elbers expressed excitement :

"As we embark on our long-haul journey with the launch of direct flights between Mumbai and Manchester, this moment marks our transition from a successful regional carrier to one with growing global relevance."

A trip to the United Kingdom on one of the most advanced Jetliners

The flight to Manchester, 6E 31 was operated by LN-FNC, a 7 years old Boeing 787 Dreamliner with MSN 38790. It is the first of many aircraft planned to be leased by Indigo from Norse. It comes equipped with 2 Rolls Royce Trent engines under its wings producing up to 78000 lbs of thrust. The aircraft was delivered to Indigo on 1st March of this year, having previously been operated by Norse Atlantic and earlier by Norwegian Atlantic Airways.

The aircraft is configured for 282 seats in Economy in a 3x3x3 layout with a 31-32 inch pitch and 56 new Indigo Stretch seats in a 2x3x2 layout with a comfortable 49-inch pitch complete with complimentary hot meals and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including wines. Each seat comes with a personal screen offering in-flight entertainment, including approximately 300 hours of movies and TV shows spanning comedy, romance, drama, and action genres.

Image credits: Travel Trade Journal

Inauguration Ceremony at Mumbai International Airport (CSMIA)

The launch event was marked by a ceremony at Mumbai’s Terminal 2, featuring traditional lamp lighting, ribbon and cake cutting, and photo opportunities for passengers and staff.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers was present at the terminal, interacting with travellers ahead of the airline’s maiden long-haul departure. Ground staff and airline crew were also part of the send-off, signalling the start of IndiGo’s expansion into longer international routes.

A similar ceremony is planned for Tuesday to commemorate the inaugural Mumbai–Amsterdam flight (6E21), as the airline looks to establish a presence in more distant international sectors. While IndiGo remains a low-cost carrier, these new services suggest a broader strategic direction in its network planning.

Future plans and Schedules

Indigo intends to use the 787s to support their International Long haul expansion with plans to induct Airbus A321 XLRs and A350s as they arrive in the upcoming years. Currently, the Dreamliner is scheduled to fly on the following routes:

• 6E 31- Mumbai to Manchester: Departing at 4:15 AM IST from BOM and arriving at 9:15 AM BST in MAN; Scheduled to operate Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with a flight time of 9:30 hours, starting 1st July.
• 6E 32- Manchester to Mumbai: Departing at 12:00 noon BST from MAN and arriving at 01:35 AM IST in BOM; Scheduled to operate Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with a flight time of 9:05 hours, starting 1st July.
• 6E 21- Mumbai to Amsterdam: Departing at 05:20 AM IST from BOM and arriving at 11:00 AM CET in AMS; Scheduled to operate Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with a flight time of 09:10 hours, starting 2nd July.
• 6E 22- Amsterdam to Mumbai: Departing at 14:00 (2 PM CET) from Amsterdam and arriving at 01:55 AM IST in BOM; Scheduled to operate Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a flight time of 08:25 hours, starting 2nd July.

Let us know your thoughts by tagging @6PistonsMedia on your favourite social media app.

Picture credits- Wang Will (Planespotters.net)