IndiGo suspends London Heathrow and shifts Amsterdam to A321XLR as it awaits Airbus A350 widebodies
Indian carrier suspends London route while switching Amsterdam service to A321XLRs. Indian carrier IndiGo will axe its London Heathrow service until its first Airbus A350-900s arrive, following the decision to terminate its Boeing 787 damp-lease with Norse Atlantic. The end of the damp-lease agreement means all IndiGo widebody operations will cease from 25 October. IndiGo says it will deploy Airbus A321XLRs on the Mumbai-Amsterdam route instead. The carrier adds that it will "temporarily discontinue" its Heathrow service until it receives A350s. IndiGo has 60 of the widebody twinjet type on order and, at the time of the agreements, expected its first to arrive in 2027. The carrier says it entered the Norse damp-lease arrangement, initially covering six 787-9s, to gain "fast-track learning" and "establish brand presence" before the introduction of A350s. "This enabled IndiGo to commence services to markets in the UK and Europe, while accelerating the development of the operational capabilities, commercial expertise and customer insights required to support its future widebody ambitions," it adds. As a result of the damp-lease arrangement, it says, the airline has been able to build "critical competencies" in long-haul network planning, crew operations, maintenance, and other areas. But it says the operating environment – particularly in regard to airspace closures and fuel prices – has "changed considerably" and led to a "significant escalation" in costs. It had already opted to return one of the six 787s to Norse. "Volatility across aviation markets has reduced industry-wide risk appetite – prompting a comprehensive review of the project and evaluation of possible alternative solutions," it adds. IndiGo senior vice-president for planning Abhijit Dasgupta says the situation necessitates a "prudent deployment" of resources in the short term, even as the carrier maintains its long-term objectives. "This [damp-lease] project was never solely about serving specific routes but laying the foundation for our long-haul operations in future," he adds. "As we enter the next phase of our growth, we remain firmly committed to expanding our global footprint across key mid- and long-haul markets."