IndiGo to increase flights to Singapore

Low-fare airline, IndiGo recently stated that it would increase flights to Singapore as the current overall limit, permitted by the air services agreement between the two countries, remains underutilised. According to Aditya Ghosh, President, IndiGo, as of now, the Indian side does not even utilise 50 per cent of the flights allowed under the agreement, which leaves scope for increasing flights. "But, we hope, this will now change and as we increase flights," said Ghosh, who launched IndiGo's first low fare service on September 15 to Singapore.

Ghosh sees a further increase in passenger traffic between the two countries, and has planned a number of holiday packages both ways as IndiGo increases flights to Singapore from "one per day to at least two and preferably three per day" in the next 300 days, according to a PTI report.

Ghosh also expects an increase in new travellers from India, especially taking advantage of the low fare to travel to Singapore for shopping and holidays. "We are trying to tie up with various agencies in Singapore to sell Singapore as a family holiday destination to Indian tourists," he said.

"Having established the Delhi-Singapore and Mumbai-Singapore routes, we are looking to connect Hyderabad and Chennai to Singapore within six to eight months. After that, we are going to look at adding Kolkata," Ghosh added. Eventually, IndiGo will look at linking Singapore to the 26 cities the airline connects in India including cities which are major tourist attractions, including Goa, he said.

Ghosh said IndiGo will also fly to Jeddah and Dhaka, expanding from its existing international routes, which will include Muscat and Kathmandu from next month.