Budget airline IndiGo is likely to expand its wings into Europe with flights to Gatwick airport near London this winter, according to a source.
“The airline has bagged a slot at Gatwick airport for the upcoming winter schedule and may start flights,” said an aviation industry insider on the condition of anonymity.
The winter schedule starts from the last Sunday of October and continues till the last Saturday of March.
The flight to London Gatwick airport will include a stop mid-way. The move is part of the airline’s plan to expand into Europe and add at least nine destinations.
The airline will also be adding flights to China’s Hong Kong and talks to connect Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh are at an “advanced stage”.
IndiGo had said in a statement earlier that it would be adding flights to Male and Jeddah.
For its operations to Gatwick the airline is expected to deploy its new A321 neo, which it is likely to induct in November.
This plane will have one auxiliary fuel tank, enabling it to fly for eight to nine hours.
Currently, the airline flies to nine destinations in neighbouring countries, which include Bangkok, Colombo, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Sharjah and Singapore. It has already announced flights to Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, effective next month.
