IndiGo begins recruitment of airport managers for London, Paris, and Amsterdam

Indian carrier IndiGo has begun the recruitment process for airport managers to be based at airports in London, Paris, and Amsterdam. The move comes ahead of the airline’s launch of nonstop flights to Europe later in 2025 using Boeing 787-9s being leased from Norse Atlantic Airways.

The much-anticipated launch of the new routes from India (expected to originate in Mumbai, the airline’s main base) will see India’s fastest-growing airline serve London-Heathrow (LHR), Paris-Charles De Gaulle (CDG), and Amsterdam-Schiphol  (AMS) and going head-to-head against its local rival, the Tata-Group owned Air India which itself has been undergoing something of a resurgence in the past two years.

It was previously disclosed that IndiGo will wet lease up to six Boeing 787s from Norse Atlantic Airways for its long-range route expansion plans. The company signed an agreement with the Oslo-based operator in November 2024 covering the wet lease of the six aircraft.

Norse Atlantic Airways The announcement by Norse at the time revealed that the wet lease would initially involve two aircraft being supplied to the customer in February 2025, with a further four aircraft following in September 2025. Signed at the end of November 2024, the deal remains subject to final agreements, mutual corporate approvals, and the necessary regulatory approvals. 

The move towards regular long-haul international flights will be a strategic change of direction for IndiGo which has up until now limited itself to operating narrowbody aircraft on short-haul domestic and international of up to six hours. That said, the carrier has previously operated a pair of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for flights to Istanbul under a similar wet lease agreement with Turkish Airlines.

ShutterstockRecruitment for the roles of airport manager at each of the three European airports opened to internal candidates only on Monday, January 13, 2025, according to the Economic Times of India. With the first of the Norse Boeing 787-9 aircraft arriving with IndiGo sooner than originally anticipated, IndiGo is now in a hurry to get its operations up and running in time to benefit from the northern summer peak travel season.  

IndiGo is an airline that has seen remarkable growth and success in recent years. The carrier currently operates a fleet of over 400 aircraft, mostly from the Airbus A320 and A320neo families of jets. During 2024, the airline also used several wet-leased aircraft from specialist ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) providers in Europe to bolster its fleet and to provide maintenance cover.  

According to ch-aviation, IndiGo announced in early December 2024 that it intends wet lease six 189-seat Boeing 737 aircraft from Corendon Airlines over the northern winter 2024-25 season from December 14, 2024, until March 29, 2025.

Looking further ahead, the start of international flights with the leased Norse forms a key component of a broader plan for the airline to reach new markets and increase its international reach in 2025 and beyond. The airline ordered 30 Airbus A350-900 widebody jets in 2024 with deliveries due not commence in 2027. Until these new-build aircraft arrive with the airline, the 787-9s from Norse Atlantic Airways will assist in filling the gap, enabling IndiGo to enter its target international markets of London, Paris, and Amsterdam much sooner than originally planned.  

AirbusAdditionally, the carrier will also welcome its first A321XLR aircraft in 2025. These aircraft are expected to enter service on routes from India to other secondary European cities during the year, supplementing the Norse 787-9 on long-haul services between key points in India and Europe.

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