Mahakumbh propels IndiGo to best-ever profits, sets a new course on international

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by fleet and market share, reported splendid results with best-ever Q4-FY25 at INR 3,067.5 crore, and just short of its all-time best of INR 3,089 crore reported in Q1-FY24, thanks to a surge in travel demand during the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The airline ended the year with a profit of INR 7,254.8 crore.

IndiGo added flights from multiple destinations as demand surged and almost doubled its operations to Prayagraj between the start and end of the Mahakumbh Mela.

Also Read: IndiGo announces its longest flight yet, to offer complimentary meals and beverages

As the airline turned 18 last year, it announced the launch of a new class of service named IndiGoStretch, its business class product. As it quickly scaled its dual-class fleet, adding route after route, with an aim to have 45 aircraft in its fleet by the end of this year, the airline shied away from offering hot meals, instead offering vegetarian-only set meal boxes. With the launch of flights to Amsterdam and Manchester, this is set to change and possibly give a sneak peek into what its own A350s would look like when they join the fleet in 2027.

Hot meals for everyone

As IndiGoStretch took to the air, the preset vegetarian box meals crafted by Oberoi Flight Kitchen were offered on a complimentary basis. With flights to Amsterdam and Manchester, the airline will be offering complimentary hot meals to all passengers on this flight. While complimentary meals have been around for a while, the Hot meals part makes a huge change since the airline kept out ovens for all these years, citing the high weight of ovens. The flights to Amsterdam and Manchester are operated by the 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which come from Norse Atlantic which has ovens in its aircraft, thus enabling hot meals.

Also Read: Redeployed staff, full flights, limited accommodation: Airlines scramble to handle Prayagraj operations for Mahakumbh

In the Premium Economy cabin of Norse Atlantic, sold as IndiGoStretch, IndiGo will offer complimentary hot meals and alcoholic beverages while the economy class will see complimentary hot meals and non-alcoholic beverages. The airline will offer alcohol for purchase in the economy class. However, all meals are vegetarian by default and a passenger will have to select “non-vegetarian” preflight if the passenger so desires.

With six aircraft lined up for induction by the first quarter of calendar year 2026, the airline is aligning itself to what its final service levels will be when the A350s land in India in IndiGo colours. The A321XLRs, which are expected to join before the end of this fiscal, will also have dual-class operations

Lounge access

One of the differentiators for Air India over IndiGo in the front cabin was lounge access, with Air India having their own lounge at Delhi. IndiGo has now added lounge access to their IndiGoStretch offering, but kept it restricted to intercontinental flights to Amsterdam and Manchester. The domestic flights and flights to Bangkok do not reflect the lounge access right now. The lounge would also be available to passengers boarding at Amsterdam and Manchester.

Also Read: All flight paths lead to Maha Kumbh as airlines bump up connectivity

Lounge is a costly affair for any airline. Rival on the route but codeshare partner KLM offers flat-bed Business class on the route unlike IndiGo, which will best match the Premium Economy class of KLM. In terms of pricing, this will be tricky since the passengers will be eligible for a lounge with a product which is not lie-flat business and at a cost which is much more reasonable than KLM.

Take more bags

IndiGo is offering a 30 kg baggage allowance in economy class, compared to 23 kg offered by Air India. However, the routes of IndiGo are exclusive to Air India. KLM, which also operates to Amsterdam from Mumbai, offers 23 kg allowance in Economy. IndiGo has a monopoly to Manchester, from any point in India.

What next?

IndiGo’s Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situation has improved significantly with nearly half of the aircraft being back in service or redelivered from its peak. The focus is now on international, with or without its own planes. It is an irony of sorts that an all-Airbus airline is relying on Boeing widebodies for the international foray.

The Delhi-Bangkok sector is reverting back to narrowbody, which means, as more aircraft join later in the year from Norse Atlantic, there are more and more destinations lined up from Mumbai. A lot will also depend on the geopolitical situation and the ability of other airports to swing the flight in their favour.