- Thursday, May 15, 2025
IndiGo operates direct flights to Istanbul with two leased aircraft from Turkish Airlines and offers codeshare seats to more than 40 points in Europe and the US
By: India Weekly
AMID calls to boycott Turkish goods and tourism, IndiGo on Thursday (15) said the partnership with Turkish Airlines provides multiple benefits to Indian travellers and makes international travel more affordable.
In the wake of Turkiye backing Islamabad and condemning India’s recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan, some online travel portals and associations have issued advisories asking people not to visit that country.
Currently, IndiGo operates direct flights to Istanbul with two leased aircraft from Turkish Airlines, each with over 500 seats.
It also offers codeshare seats to more than 40 points in Europe and the US.
A codeshare partnership allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carrier, and there will be a single ticket.
An airline official told PTI that the ongoing air traffic between India and Turkiye needs to be viewed in the context of the bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) and the overall construct of international air services to and from India.
The ASA allows carriers of Turkiye and India to operate a total of 56 flights per week between the two countries – 14 flights from India to Turkiye and 14 flights from Turkiye to India each by Indian carriers and the same number by airlines of Turkiye.
This arrangement with Turkish Airlines provides multiple benefits to Indian travellers and the country’s economy.
The additional long-haul capacity has enabled availability of seats for Indian passengers at reasonable airfares, coming at a time when long-haul international airfares have increased substantially owing to the impact of Covid, the official said.
According to the official, the operation of the two aircraft to Istanbul serves as a vital engine for economic activity to support trade worth billions of US dollars between the two countries and also helps create numerous job opportunities in India.
With the codeshare partnership, international travel has become more accessible and affordable as passengers benefit from cost-effective two-stop flights from India’s smaller cities to Europe and the US.
“The codeshare has enabled IndiGo to build its presence in the long-haul markets in Europe and the US, putting in place the foundation for self-sufficiency, ie. its long-haul foray with the 40 A321 XLR and 30 A350 aircraft ordered by the airline,” the official said.
Over 300,000 lakh Indians visited Turkiye in 2024.
Further, the official said the arrangement with Turkish Airlines not only enhances the connectivity of hubs like Delhi and Mumbai but also brings in additional revenue.
IndiGo has a fleet of more than 400 planes and operates around 2,200 flights daily. The airline connects over 90 domestic and more than 40 international destinations. It has 10 codeshare partnerships.
India revoked the security clearance of Celebi Airport Services India, a unit of Turkey’s Celebi, with immediate effect, citing national security concerns, the country’s civil aviation ministry said in an order on Thursday (15) .
New Delhi’s decision came a day after travel booking firms said Indians were cancelling holidays in popular resorts in Turkey and Azerbaijan following the countries’ support for Pakistan during the recent conflict with India.
Celebi Aviation Holding, the parent of Celebi Airport Services, whose website says it operates ground handling services at nine airports in India including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, was not immediately available for a comment.
The operator of Delhi International Airport said it was working with existing airport ground handling service providers AISATS and Brid Group after it cut ties with Celebi.
Murlidhar Mohol, India’s deputy civil aviation minister, said the government had received requests from across India to ban Celebi Airport Services without providing details.
Travel portal MakeMyTrip has urged people to avoid non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey, for supporting Pakistan.
“Indian travelers have expressed strong sentiments over the past one week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60 per cent while cancellations have surged by 250 per cent during the same period,” a MakeMyTrip spokesperson said.
In solidarity with them, the travel portal claims it has discontinued all promotions and offers to discourage tourism to these two destinations.
Subhash Goyal, Chairman, Tourism Committee, Indian Chamber of Commerce, said they remain committed to promoting ethical, responsible, and respectful business and tourism practices, while upholding the values of integrity, security, and unity of the country.
“Several tourism associations and industry bodies have issued statements of solidarity and collective commitment towards prioritising our national interest over commercial goals,” Goyal said.
Rival EaseMyTrip has also issue a travel advisory. “Following the Pahalgam attack and escalating tensions between India & Pakistan, travellers are urged to stay aware. As Turkey & Azerbaijan have shown support for Pakistan, we strongly recommend visiting only if absolutely necessary,” EaseMyTrip said in a post on X.
EaseMyTrip founder and chairman Nishant Pitti also took to X, saying he was “deeply concerned” by the recent developments and advising all its customers to exercise utmost caution.
Travel company Cox & Kings said it has decided to temporarily pause all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkey.
“This decision is driven by our commitment to uphold principles that matter deeply to us and the people of our country. We also advise Indian travellers to exercise discretion and avoid any non-essential travel to these destinations until there is greater clarity and alignment in the broader geopolitical environment,” said Karan Agarwal, Director, Cox & Kings.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India has claimed that there have been cancellations for hotels in states including Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, among others. (Agencies)
