Despite being the world's largest country with more than 1.4 billion people, India has become known as a graveyard for airlines - with many having tried and failed to capitalize on what SHOULD be a massive market opportunity, especially on the domestic side. Kingfisher, Jet Airways, Go Air and others have risen and fallen... and some speculate that Air India wouldn't have made it without government help. But one airline has managed to crack the code (in my opinion), and that airline is IndiGo.
Perhaps the world's least-hated budget carrier, IndiGo carried 100 million+ passengers in 2023 to over 100 destinations in India and beyond. Like most budget carriers, the onboard product is fairly basic, but that seems to be exactly what India needed - an affordable way to get from Point A to Point B - safely & on-time.
I've always been fascinated by IndiGo's story, so when I was in India, I had to check them out. Come join me as I fly both workhorses in IndiGo's fleet - the A320 and ATR 72 - on a couple domestic flights - and let's see if we can uncover the secret to IndiGo's Indian Dominance!
Flight Details:
FLIGHT #1
Airline / Flight No: IndiGo (6E) 7219
Aircraft Type: ATR 72-600
From: Nashik, Maharashtra, India (ISK)
To: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India (AMD)
Departure Time: 8 March 2024 10:20am IST
Arrival Time: 8 March 2024 11:50am IST
FLIGHT #2
Airline / Flight No: IndiGo (6E) 937
Aircraft Type: Airbus A320neo (VT-IQQ)
From: Vadodara, Gujarat, India (BDQ)
To: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (BOM)
Departure Time: 11 March 2024 1:50pm IST
Arrival Time: 11 March 2024 2:55pm IST
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro & The IndiGo Story
02:06 Arrival, Check-in & Security at Nashik Airport (ISK)
05:57 Boarding the ATR 72 to Ahmedabad
07:58 Pushback, Taxi and Takeoff - Rwy 9
09:00 Inflight Scenes & Lav Tour
09:56 Approach & Landing into Ahmedabad (AMD)
10:37 Cost of Ticket & Review
11:54 Flight on the A320 - Vadodara Airport (BDQ)
14:04 Post-Security at Vadodara Airport - Lounge!!
16:10 Boarding A320neo to Mumbai (BOM)
17:51 Pushback, Taxi, Takeoff - Rwy 4
18:52 Inflight - Food and Potential Entertainment Options
19:43 Approach and Landing into Mumbai
21:16 Final Thoughts
