IndiGo to Buy 100 Small Planes for Regional Routes

New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) IndiGo is in discussions with aircraft makers to purchase up to 100 small planes as the airline looks to strengthen its presence in the regional routes, according to a source.

The carrier, which recently ordered 30 wide-body A350 planes, is expanding domestic and international operations.

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.

While a final decision is yet to be taken, 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.

There was no comment from IndiGo.

At present, the airline has 45 ATRs in its fleet and each of them has 78 seats.

In April, IndiGo announced an order for 30 A350-900 aircraft and there is also the option to purchase another 70 such aircraft.

Last year in June, IndiGo placed the largest-ever single aircraft order by any airline for 500 planes with Airbus.

The outstanding order book of A320 family aircraft stands at almost 1,000 which are yet to be delivered well into the next decade. The order book comprises a mix of A320 neo, A321 neo and A321 XLR aircraft.

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

The ambitious target is to double the airline's size by 2030, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in April.