IndiGo wants to fly longer routes abroad. It plans to do this with help from other airlines, not with money from outside investors. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Willie Walsh said this on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, at the Aviation India and South Asia 2026 summit in New Delhi.
He also said IndiGo is reviewing whether to protect itself against changes in fuel prices. Its first Airbus A350 planes are due in 2028. These comments show how the airline wants to grow, and what could cost it money along the way.
What happened
Walsh spoke about IndiGo's plan to fly wide-body planes. These are large planes with two aisles, used on long flights. He did not announce any new deal or name any partner airline, according to The Hindu BusinessLine. At a separate media briefing, he also spoke about seats, fuel, cities and airport charges.
Partners, not investors
He was asked if IndiGo needs an investor or a strategic airline partner for its next phase. Walsh replied: “It’s more about accessing the market. It’s not about financial investment.” In simple words, IndiGo wants foreign airlines to help it reach passengers abroad. It is not looking for them to buy a stake.
He listed several ways this could work. These range from codeshare agreements to joint businesses and revenue-sharing deals. IndiGo already has more than 10 codeshare partners, The Hindu BusinessLine reported.
Walsh said IndiGo's large network inside India makes it attractive to foreign airlines. For example, a traveller from a smaller Indian city could fly IndiGo to a big airport, then take a partner's flight abroad. Both airlines would gain. He added that IndiGo's longer-term plan also includes carrying people between two foreign countries through India.
The planes and the numbers
IndiGo has 60 A350s on order, according to a second report in The Hindu BusinessLine. The first is due in the second quarter of calendar year 2028, which means April to June 2028. This depends on Airbus and its suppliers being ready. Walsh said preparations were well advanced, but a lot of work remained.
The first 10 A350s will have 16 business-class flatbed seats, plus premium economy and economy cabins. The airline is debating more business seats in later planes. Walsh said he personally saw a strong case for it. IndiGo will also keep investing in its “Stretch” seats, he said.
The smaller Airbus A321XLR will work alongside the A350 on international routes. Walsh said the XLR has the unit costs of a wide-body plane but the trip costs of a narrow-body plane. He called it an important tool for growth.
| Item | Number | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| A321XLR planes flying now | 4 | Both publications |
| A321XLR planes by end of 2026 | 5 (one more by year-end; our calculation) | The Hindu |
| A321XLR fleet “next year” | 7 | The Hindu BusinessLine |
| A321XLR planes by end of December 2027 | 14 | The Hindu |
| A350s on order | 60 | The Hindu BusinessLine |
| Total fleet now | More than 440 | The Hindu |
| Fleet target by 2030 | 600 | The Hindu |
The table lists IndiGo's fleet numbers as reported. The two publications give different XLR figures for 2027.
According to The Hindu, Walsh said IndiGo expects 14 XLRs by the end of December 2027. The Hindu BusinessLine said the XLR fleet is expected to grow to seven next year. We could not confirm which number is right. Readers can check IndiGo's filings on the BSE or NSE website.
The Hindu also reported that IndiGo has stopped flying the leased wide-body Boeing 787 planes. Walsh said cargo would be a big part of future long-haul flights, after encouraging results from those 787 services.
The fuel hedging question
Fuel hedging means using financial contracts to manage the risk of fuel price changes. Think of a shopkeeper who fixes the price of rice today for the next six months. If prices rise, he is protected. If prices fall, he still pays the fixed price.
IndiGo does not hedge today. Walsh said staying unhedged is the right approach for now. The matter was discussed with the board last week. Management will return to the board after a fuller study. No decision has been taken, and any change would come with an explanation, he said.
Walsh said hedging is about managing risk and stability, not betting on fuel prices. In India, rivals are unhedged, so hedging alone could add a competitive risk for IndiGo. Abroad, the picture is different. He said major Asian airlines are typically around 40 per cent hedged, while European airlines are around 70–80 per cent hedged.
The crisis in West Asia and other global events have pushed up jet fuel prices, The Hindu BusinessLine noted. Oil has been moving with global tension, as our report on gold, silver and oil prices on 3 November explains.
Why it matters to a common investor
Long flights need costly planes, new crew and new skills. Walsh's main message was that IndiGo will not weaken its short flights to support long ones. He said some airlines had hurt their short-haul efficiency this way. He told the conference that IndiGo must not “take our eye off the ball” on its short-haul narrow-body operation, “which is very efficient today”.
For a small investor, this is the key point. Short flights are the airline's core business today. Long routes may bring new income from premium seats and cargo, but they also bring new costs. Our earlier story on IndiGo's Q2 loss and share price moves shows how much fuel costs can affect results.
Walsh named Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru as cities for international flights. He said the closure of Pakistani airspace hurt Delhi, while Mumbai lets XLRs reach more European cities. He called Navi Mumbai airport a big long-term opportunity.
Risks to keep in mind
- Delivery delays: The A350 timeline depends on Airbus and supplier readiness.
- Fuel prices: Jet fuel prices are high. Hedging can protect, but it can also cost money if prices fall.
- Airspace limits: Pakistani airspace restrictions made the 787 flights harder, Walsh said.
- Airport costs: Walsh said airport charges are too high and the market would do better with lower charges and taxes.
- No partner yet: No new partnership has been announced.
What to watch next
- The board's decision on fuel hedging.
- Any new codeshare or joint business deal.
- A350 routes, which Walsh said will become clearer closer to launch.
- Actual XLR deliveries, to see which reported number holds.
More company stories are on our business page.
Words explained
- Wide-body / narrow-body: Wide-body planes have two aisles and fly long routes. Narrow-body planes have one aisle and usually fly shorter routes.
- Long-haul / short-haul: Long-haul means long flights, often across continents. Short-haul means short flights, such as most domestic trips.
- Codeshare: A deal where one airline sells seats on another airline's flight under its own flight number.
- Joint business: A closer deal where airlines plan routes and prices together on certain markets.
- Revenue sharing: Partners split the money earned from shared passengers.
- Unit cost / trip cost: Unit cost is the cost per seat. Trip cost is the cost of the whole flight.
- Fuel hedging: Using financial contracts to limit the effect of fuel price changes.
Sources: The Hindu BusinessLine, The Hindu.
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