The DGCA has given IndiGo a third extension to lease aircraft and crew from Turkish Airlines, reversing its earlier ultimatum to end the partnership due to anti-Turkey sentiment following its support to Pakistan during recent border clashes with India.
The regulator has granted IndiGo permission to use two Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft and crew for operating them from Turkish Airlines until February 28, 2025.
In May, the DGCA said it was granting “one-time, final extension” for three months upto August 31,2025 to avoid passenger inconvenience due to flight disruptions when IndiGo’s wet lease permission was due for a review.
The regulator had then said that though it had refused the permission for IndiGo to use the Turkish aircraft, it got an assurance from the airline that it would terminate the arrangement by August 31, 2025.
“This extension comes at a crucial time and will help mitigate losses to the Indian aviation due to geopolitical restrictions, and greatly benefit Indian travellers during the peak travel season by ensuring a seamless, direct connection to Istanbul and points beyond,” IndiGo said in a statement referring to the impact of the ban on use of Pakistan airspace for Indian airlines.
IndiGo uses the B777 aircraft to provide connectivity from Delhi and Mumbai to Istanbul. Its codeshare with Turkish Airlines further enables passengers to be connected further to 30 destinations in Europe and the US.
The extension comes amidst global shortage of aircraft as well as IndiGo’s own grounding of 60-70 aircraft due to problems with Pratt and Whitney engines, which have also resulted in the airline extending the leases on its older A320 CEO aircraft.
“From a business standpoint, restricting cooperation with Turkish Airlines would be counterproductive. Indian airlines benefit from code-shares and partnerships that expand their global reach, and passengers gain from greater connectivity and competitive fares. Aviation should remain a driver of growth and opportunity, while political differences should be managed through diplomacy, not by limiting the commercial potential of our airlines and travelers. If India wants its carriers to compete globally, it must enable access, not restrict it. We cannot on one hand criticise the economy protective measures being undertaken by US in the garb of sanctions, while taking similar actions against international companies whose governments follow their own sovereign policies,” says Alok Anand, founder of aviation assets management company Acumen Aviation.
Published – August 30, 2025 09:43 pm IST
