IndiGo to have 14 A321 XLR planes by end of 2027: CEO Willie Walsh

New Delhi: IndiGo expects to have a total of 14 narrow-body A321 XLR aircraft by the end of December 2027, its CEO Willie Walsh said on Tuesday as the airline seeks to expand international operations. Currently, the airline has 4 A321 XLRs and another one will be added by year-end.

These planes have a longer range that will help the carrier connect more overseas destinations.

At a conference in the national capital, Walsh also stressed that the airline’s focus will remain on short haul operations and that it has a very efficient cost base.

The airline, which has discontinued operations with leased wide-body Boeing 787 planes, expects to start getting its A350-900 aircraft from the second quarter of 2028.

He mentioned that there is a lot of work that needs to be done before starting operations with A350 planes.

“We (need) to make sure that we don’t get distracted from the excitement of the induction of the A350 and take our eye off the ball in terms of the work that we need to continue to do on the short haul narrow body operation, which is very efficient today,” he said.

Walsh was speaking at the Aviation India and South Asia 2026 conference in the national capital.

About airports, he said there was a need to have effective partnerships with airports.

Airports should be laser-focused on investments they make, Walsh, who has been critical of high airport charges and taxes, said.

The airline expects to have a fleet of 600 aircraft by 2030. At present, IndiGo has more than 440 planes in its fleet.

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