After Long haul Shopping IndiGo Eyes an Order of up to 100 Smaller Aircraft for Regional Boost.

• IndiGo is in discussions with several aircraft makers to purchase up to 100 small planes.
• The Indian low cost carrier looks to strengthen its presence in the regional routes, according to a source.
• Though Airbus A220 and E175 models are under consideration, ATR72 could become the first choice due factors involved.
• IndiGo already operates 45 ATR-72 planes while five more to be delivered.

India’s low cost carrier IndiGo is in talks with ATR, Embraer, and Airbus as it mulls ordering 100 small aircraft to boost its presence in India’s regional market.

Recently, the carrier placed a firm order for 30 state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The move is aimed at expanding IndiGo’s international network to long-haul destinations.

The source on Tuesday said IndiGo plans to buy up to 100 small planes and is in discussions with some aircraft makers, including ATR and Embraer.

Though a call is yet to be taken on this, the broad plan is to go for a firm order of 50 planes and the option to buy 50 more such aircraft, the source added.

At present, the airline has 45 ATRs in its fleet and each of them has 78 seats. While the ATRs are turboprops, the other two models are Turbofan powered planes.

Apart from the ATRs, IndiGo’s fleet consists of Airbus A320s and A321s. It has two Boeing 777s on short-term lease from codeshare partner Turkish Airlines.

Last year, in the month of June, IndiGo, which is world’s third-largest airline in terms of market capitalistaion, placed the largest-ever single aircraft order by any airline for 500 planes with Airbus.

The noteworthy order book of A320 family aircraft stands at almost 1,000 which are yet to be delivered. The order book comprises a mix of A320 neo, A321 neo and A321 XLR aircraft.

IndiGo has an active fleet of 355 aircraft at this moment. Besides 45 ATRs, the carrier has 193 A320 neos, 20 A320 ceos, 94 A321s and 3 A321 freighters.

As per IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers’s statement in April this year, they aim to double the airline’s size by year 2030, hence they will be needing reinforcement for all segments of their fleet.