IndiGo will soon lease up to four wide-body Boeing 777 planes to cover the shortfall in its global operations, according to officials.
The airline said the wet-leasing of “certain aircraft” will be done as an interim measure.
IndiGo, which has so far only been operating narrow-body Airbus planes, ATRs, and freighters, will now be having wide-body aircraft in its fleet.
Currently, the airline has more than 275 planes and operates more than 1,600 flights daily.
IndiGo has decided to induct up to four Boeing 777 aircraft on a wet-lease basis.
There will be Boeing 777-200 LRs and Boeing 777-300 ERs, which will be deployed, especially on international routes, in the upcoming winter schedule, the airline officials said on Wednesday.
An IndiGo spokesperson said as the aviation industry globally continues to face significant supply chain disruptions, the airline has been exploring a multitude of solutions to enable it to continue operations smoothly.
“As an interim measure, we have decided to take on wet/damp lease certain aircraft to cover the shortfall for our scheduled international operations.
“We have received in-principle approval from the regulators for the same and the induction of these aircraft remains subject to further requisite regulatory approvals. We are committed to exploring every opportunity possible to overcome these capacity challenges and provide our customers with efficient and affordable air travel,” the spokesperson said.
According to the airline, international air travel is going through a strong period of recovery, and demand continues to rise.