The Hindu Business Line : IndiGo to take off in August: CEO

The low-cost airline IndiGo is to take to the skies in the first few days of August with a 180-seater Airbus A-320 aircraft, according to the airline President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bruce Ashby.

"We will be taking delivery of the first A-320 aircraft at the end of July and hope to start revenue services in the first few days of August. At the moment, it is difficult to say which would be the launch sector. However, in the first few months of service, the airline plans to offer flights connecting Delhi, Guwahati, Imphal, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Srinagar, Bangalore, Nagpur and Kolkata," said Mr Ashby. The airline, that is to induct one aircraft every month for the next six months, plans to utilise the aircraft for an average of six departures a day, he said. The airline plans to finance its aircraft through a sale and lease back arrangement.

In 2005, the airline had announced its intention to purchase 100 Airbus A-320 family of aircraft. The new airline venture is being jointly promoted by InterGlobe Enterprises Ltd and Mr Rakesh Gangwal, who during his two-decade long career in aviation has worked in senior management positions with leading airlines, including United Airlines, Air France and US Airways.

While being tight-lipped on the airline pricing, the CEO indicated that the fares were likely to be similar to those being charged by two existing low-cost airlines — Air Deccan and SpiceJet.

"We plan to have one type of fare which would always be low. The airline would certainly offer beverages to the passengers although there would be no hot meals and in-flight entertainment on board the aircraft. The airline is investing heavily to ensure that flights are on time and the lines are kept short," added Mr Ashby.