Delta Air Lines
CEO Ed Bastian divulged many details in a Thursday roundtable discussion with local business leaders in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of the most interesting was the airline’s intentions to make its presence known in the Indian subcontinent once more and a potential partnership with a local airline, IndiGo.
Delta’s return to India
Delta plans to partner with IndiGo Airlines, an 18-year-old Indian airline headquartered at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport
(DEL). Bastian didn’t elaborate on the nature of the partnership or divulge any details about its structure. We only know that Delta intends to start one.
Photo: Delta Air Lines
However, it will likely be codesharing agreements that allow passengers from Delta’s network to access destinations in India and vice versa. IndiGo is not part of any major alliance and instead has codesharing agreements with many major airlines, including KLM
, 
Qatar Airways
, Qantas
and even 
American Airlines
.
The partnership might also allow Delta passengers to access IndiGo lounges in India, as Delta intends to recommence direct flights to India soon. Delta used to operate flights to Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai in the past. However, these routes were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, with demand for direct flights between the US and India at an all-time high, the airline is planning to utilize its partnership with IndiGo and the Airbus A350-1000’s ultra-long-range capability to serve these markets once again.
Bastian said, “We really want to serve that market directly.” And added that passengers can expect nonstop flights to India “within the next couple of years.”
Delta could fly to these destinations using the A350-900, which it uses to serve many other Asian destinations. However, the closure of both Russian and Iranian airspaces, in addition to the distance, means that the flights with the A350-900 will have to limit either passenger or cargo heavily. The extended range of the A350-1000 makes this a non-issue.
Why IndiGo?
IndiGo Airlines is considered a low-cost carrier, not a full-service airline like Delta. So why has the American outfit chosen IndiGo instead of another airline such as Air India
or Vistara?
Photo: Kevin Hackert | Shutterstock
IndiGo Airlines is India’s largest airline in passenger carried and fleet size. The airline holds a 62% share of the Indian domestic market as of last month. It has been touted as India’s most ambitious airline.
The airline is also a record holder. Last year, it became the first Indian airline to carry 100 million passengers in a single calendar year. At last year’s Paris Airshow, it placed the largest single purchase agreement by an airline in commercial aviation history, placing an order for more than 500 Airbus aircraft. The airline is currently the largest operator of the Airbus A320neo and the second-largest operator of the A321neo variant.
All these moves were made to secure IndiGo’s ambitious plans to become one of the world’s leading airlines, a goal that it is working towards tirelessly.
Delta has seen the potential IndiGo holds and knows that a partnership with the airline will pave the way for greater milestones in the future.
Related
IndiGo: How Do Widebodies Fit Into The Plan?
Pieter Elbers is operating in a very different environment from the one he is familiar with. From CEO of the historic Dutch full-service carrier KLM, which made its mark through long-haul connections and exemplary service, he is now leading India’s largest and most ambitious no-frills airline.
Since joining IndiGo in 2022, Elbers has overseen some immense aircraft orders. In June 2023, his airline placed the largest-ever single aircraft order by any airline for 500 Airbus aircraft. This year, the carrier broke with low-cost tradition and ordered 30 passenger-configured A350-900s.
International operations are high on this CEO’s mind. Speaking to the Economic Times, he said the airline is targeting 40 overseas airports in the network before next summer. The airline already flies to 22 countries, including Kenya, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. When the widebodies arrive, which the CEO says will be in 2027, and the A321XLR, further destinations will be within its grasp.
IndiGo has built a p