Starting July 1, IndiGo will launch a new non-stop flight from Mumbai to Manchester, flying three times a week. This route is important because many people from India, especially from Gujarat, live in the Manchester area in northern England.
Flight 6E031 will leave Mumbai at 4:15 AM IST and reach Manchester at 9:15 AM local time.
Flight 6E032 will leave Manchester at noon local time and arrive in Mumbai at 1:35 AM IST the next day.
This is IndiGo’s first direct flight to the UK, and only its second route using the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
This new Manchester flight will compete with full-service and one-stop airlines. It offers lower fares and the convenience of a direct flight. Earlier, Jet Airways had a similar non-stop route between Mumbai and Manchester.
Just a day later, on July 2, IndiGo will begin another long-distance route—Mumbai to Amsterdam, also three times a week. Amsterdam is a popular city for both business and tourism. The Netherlands is seeing more travelers from India due to stronger trade, tourism, and more Indian students.
Flight 6E021 will leave Mumbai at 5:20 AM IST and reach Amsterdam at 11:00 AM local time.
Flight 6E022 will leave Amsterdam at 1:00 PM local time and arrive in Mumbai at 1:55 AM IST the next day.
From Amsterdam, travelers can easily connect to other parts of Europe and North America using IndiGo’s partner airlines through codeshare agreements. This makes travel easier for people from India.
IndiGo’s Boeing 787-9 has two seat types: regular economy class and IndiGo Stretch, which offers more legroom and comfort. Although IndiGo is known as a low-cost airline, it is making changes to offer better comfort for longer flights.
All passengers in both classes will get a free hot vegetarian meal. If someone wants a non-vegetarian meal, they must pre-book it when buying the ticket. Alcoholic drinks will be available to buy in economy class, but Stretch class passengers may get them for free, depending on their fare.
This is one of the first times IndiGo is offering free hot meals and premium services, instead of its usual buy-on-board system. Both the Manchester and Amsterdam routes will be flown using IndiGo’s flagship Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
Originally, these flights were planned from Delhi. But because Pakistani airspace is still closed, flying from North India is difficult. Planes would have to take longer routes, which use more fuel and carry fewer passengers.
By flying from Mumbai, IndiGo avoids Pakistani airspace and keeps flights shorter and more efficient. Mumbai’s location also makes it easier to fly west toward Europe. This helps IndiGo keep its flight times and costs lower.
With these new flights, Mumbai is becoming IndiGo’s hub for long-distance travel, adding to its strong network in Asia and the Middle East.
Now that IndiGo is flying to two major European cities, the airline is stepping into the global travel market. It’s also changing its onboard services to meet the needs of long-haul passengers.
These new flights are launching at a time when demand for travel between India and Europe is growing after the pandemic. This market still needs more direct flights. As IndiGo gets more Boeing 787-9 planes, it may add more routes to Europe, possibly from Delhi in the future.
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