Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Smaller Jets Could Expand IndiGo Routes, but Raise Costs
IndiGo wants to see if smaller jet planes could help it open more routes.
Some short international trips may not need large airplanes.
Examples include flights from Chennai or Coimbatore to Colombo.
Another example is a flight from Kolkata to Dhaka.
IndiGo currently uses ATR turboprop planes for these shorter journeys.
Those planes have already been in service for some time.
Buying a different kind of aircraft could give IndiGo more options.
However, smaller jets could also be expensive for the airline.
Smaller jet aircraft could increase IndiGo’s capacity for launching new routes.
Short-haul international routes from southern and eastern India may require smaller planes.
Examples include Chennai or Coimbatore to Colombo and Kolkata to Dhaka.
IndiGo currently uses Avions de Transport Régional turboprop aircraft for these routes.
Because the ATR aircraft have been in service for some time, IndiGo may consider acquiring a new aircraft type, though it could be costly.
- Who
- IndiGo, the Indian airline.
- What
- The airline is considering whether a new type of smaller aircraft could support additional routes.
- Where
- Potential routes include Chennai or Coimbatore to Colombo, and Kolkata to Dhaka or other cities in Bangladesh.
- Why
- To increase capacity and serve short-haul international routes that may require smaller aircraft, while its existing ATR planes have been in service for some time.
- Airline
- IndiGo
- Aircraft currently used
- Avions de Transport Régional (ATR) turboprop aircraft
- Potential aircraft change
- A new variety of smaller aircraft
- Potential route
- Chennai or Coimbatore to Colombo
- Potential route
- Kolkata to Dhaka or other cities in Bangladesh
- Main opportunity
- Greater capacity for new routes
- Main concern
- The move could prove costly