Airlines

IndiGo to Venture into New International Markets for Expansion

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IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is set to focus its next phase of international expansion on lesser-known destinations while also increasing its presence in popular markets such as Singapore and Dubai.

This strategy was outlined by CEO Pieter Elbers during an interview with Reuters. The budget airline successfully ventured into Central Asia last year, launching flights to less-frequented cities such as Baku, Almaty, Tashkent, and Tbilisi, which are relatively free from major competition.

With more Indians eager to travel internationally and IndiGo set to receive its longer-range Airbus A321XLR planes next year, the airline aims to build on this strategy. In addition to this, IndiGo has announced a new codeshare partnership with Japan Airlines (JAL). This collaboration will initially enhance JAL’s connectivity into India, while future phases will offer IndiGo customers more options on JAL’s extensive domestic and international network.

“With the growing desire and aspirations of Indians to fly internationally, I think we have a great opportunity to also target lesser-known places,” Elbers said at the annual International Air Transport Association (IATA) meeting. He emphasized that while destinations like Singapore, Dubai, and Phuket remain popular, there is potential to add a new layer of destinations, particularly in Thailand and Central Asia. The A321XLR will also enable IndiGo to reach parts of Europe and further into Asia.

IndiGo, which reported a record profit of nearly $1 billion for the financial year 2023-2024, continues to deepen its presence in India, flying to 88 cities. The airline has also doubled its global network to 33 destinations from 15 over the past two years and plans to add 10 new domestic and international destinations this year.

Additionally, IndiGo offers connections to numerous European cities through its codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines and has recently ordered 30 Airbus A350 wide-body planes, enabling it to reach destinations as far as the United States and Australia. Initially, IndiGo aimed to deploy 30% of its flying capacity into international markets by 2030, but Elbers indicated that this target will now be achieved sooner.

Airlines

Federal Court Imposes $100M Fine on Qantas for “Ghost Flights” Scandal

In a major ruling, the Federal Court has confirmed a hefty A$100 million penalty against Qantas for its involvement in the “ghost flights” scandal. As reported by FlightGlobal.

The court found that Qantas misled consumers by offering and selling tickets for flights that the airline had already decided to cancel. Adding to the controversy, Qantas failed to promptly notify ticket holders about these cancellations.

The penalty follows Qantas’ admission of violating the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The airline agreed with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the penalty amount, aiming to deter Qantas and other businesses from similar breaches in the future.

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The ACCC emphasized that this substantial fine sends a clear message: misleading customers will lead to serious consequences, regardless of a company’s size. In addition to the penalty, Qantas has committed to paying approximately A$20 million to affected passengers who unknowingly purchased tickets for canceled flights.

This compensation comes on top of any refunds or alternative flight arrangements already provided. ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb praised the penalty, underscoring the importance of robust compliance programs red energy qantas in large corporations like Qantas.

She pointed out that Qantas has since made changes to its operating and scheduling procedures to prevent similar issues in the future.