The new service is set to begin on February 2, 2026, featuring five weekly flights operated with Boeing 787 aircraft leased from Norse Atlantic Airways. These aircraft will offer a dual-class setup, encompassing IndiGoStretch and Economy Class. With this inclusion, IndiGo will operate a total of 12 weekly flights to London, having already launched daily direct services from Mumbai to Heathrow.
The Delhi-London route is part of the airline’s strategy to broaden its international presence from the national capital. Recently, IndiGo has initiated direct routes from Delhi to Denpasar (Bali), Krabi, Hanoi, Guangzhou, and Manchester, and plans to start flights to Athens in January 2026. Over the past year, the carrier has added 10 new international destinations and more than 30 international routes from various cities in India.
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Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer of IndiGo, stated that the new route would enhance relations between India and the UK. “We are thrilled to launch direct flights between Delhi and London, providing more travel choices between India and the United Kingdom. This follows the recent introduction of our direct flights from Mumbai to London, as well as services from Delhi and Mumbai to Manchester,” he remarked.
“This new service is anticipated to meet the growing demand for travel between the two cities for business, tourism, and visiting family and friends. IndiGo is dedicated to making international travel easier and more accessible while bolstering connectivity between India and key global hubs,” Elbers noted.
The announcement comes amid ongoing operational difficulties for the airline. On Tuesday, IndiGo canceled approximately 50 domestic flights at various airports, including Mumbai, Delhi, Varanasi, Pune, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Indore, and Patna, according to information published on its website. The airline did not provide specific reasons for the cancellations.
Under its winter schedule, IndiGo had originally been allowed to operate 15,014 domestic flights weekly, equating to 2,144 flights daily. However, after significant disruptions earlier in December, when thousands of flights were canceled and passengers affected nationwide, the government reduced IndiGo’s winter allocation by 10% or 214 flights daily.
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Consequently, IndiGo is now limited to 1,930 domestic flights per day, excluding international and cargo services. During the height of the disruptions, the airline canceled as many as 1,600 flights in a single day.
In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation established a four-member probe panel to investigate the airline’s manpower planning, fluctuating rostering systems, and readiness to implement updated duty period and rest norms for pilots. The panel has already questioned IndiGo’s senior management, including CEO Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras, and is expected to submit its findings later this week.
(With inputs from agencies)
