Skift Take
IndiGo will be the only carrier in the country other than the Air India Group to offer business class. But it’s not giving up on the low prices that made it popular.
Budget carrier IndiGo’s first aircraft with the business class configuration has been unveiled. The plane will fly on the Delhi-Mumbai route starting November 14. The new aircraft sports the words “IndiGo means Business” on its body. The company has named its business class program “IndiGoStretch.”
This is the first time that IndiGo will have non-economy seats in its planes. In a statement, CEO Pieter Elbers said, “India’s economy is soaring and with the evolving aspirations of the Indian society, it is time for us to redefine accordingly.”
Even as IndiGo is moving away from its no-frills approach, the business class offering is meant to be faithful to the IndiGo brand, Elbers previously told Skift’s Peden Doma Bhutia.
“We now have a whole generation coming up that has never flown business class. Similarly, years ago there was a whole generation in India, that’d never taken a plane, who then became our first-time fliers,” Elbers had said.
This becomes clearer through IndiGo’s pricing for the product. The cost for a business class ticket on IndiGo on November 16 is INR 18,018 ($214.15). On the other hand, Air India’s business class ticket for Delhi-Mumbai flight on the same day is priced at INR 26,967 ($320.50).
At the unveiling of the IndiGoStretch plane, Elbers said that by January next year, all Delhi-Mumbai aircraft will have the business class configuration. The airline is also planning to cover all flights from Delhi to Bengaluru and Chennai under this program. “In the next 14 months, 45 IndiGoStretch planes will be inducted in our fleet and we will ramp up to serve 12 routes with 268 daily flights,” he said.
Brigade Hotel Ventures’ IPO Pitch
Hotel owner and developer Brigade Hotel Ventures has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with Indian stock market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). In its DRHP, the company has said that it aims to raise up to INR 9 billion ($107 million) through an IPO.
It might also raise up to INR 1.8 billion ($21 million) through a pre-IPO placement. Brigade Hotel said it plans to use a significant portion of its IPO proceeds — INR 4.8 billion (about $57 million) — to repay a substantial chunk of its existing debt. Brigade Hotel also has plans to restructure its finances across fiscal 2025 and 2026.
The rest of its IPO proceedings will be used for the company’s expansion plans, including the development of five new hotels in high-growth regions across India. The company aims to broaden its footprint by focusing on prime markets in South India and tapping into emerging opportunities in tourism hotspots like Goa and popular pilgrimage destinations.
VFS Global to Provide Visa Services for Finland
Visa services company VFS Global will be providing Schengen short-term visa services and Residence permit services for Finland in 32 countries, including India. The ministry of Finland said that VFS will receive applications, collect biometric data and application fees on behalf of the missions. It, however, clarified that VFS will not have the authority to make visa decisions.
The company has also partnered with Indonesia Directorate General of Immigration to launch a new e-Visa on Arrival (e-VoA) service in 97 countries, including India. Its services will complement the country’s existing e-VoA system. VFS’ system will allow visitors to apply for e-VoA before departing for Indonesia.
Air India Deploys Flagship A350 Aircraft on Delhi-New York Route
Full-service carrier Air India has introduced its flagship A350 aircraft between Delhi and New York’s JFK airport. The direct service is operating daily and marks the debut of Air India’s new premium economy cabin class on the Delhi-New York route.
This will be followed by the deployment of A350 on the Delhi-Newark route in January next year. The new aircraft had previously been introduced for international flights from India to Dubai and London Heathrow.
Despite this, Air India has canceled about 60 flights to the U.S. between now and 2024-end due to aircraft shortage. Several of its widebody aircraft are grounded due to maintenance issues.
Trevolution’s Independent Travel Managers’ Platform Launched Globally
Travel agency Trevolution Group has announced the global expansion of its remote-working Independent Travel Manager platform Dreamport. Under the program, Independent Travel Managers are required to provide customer service, identify best travel routes, look at international airfares, and other products according to the requirements of each traveler.
Alex Weinstein, founder of Dyninno Group and Trevolution Group, said that there is a strong interest from Nigeria and India in this program. Data from Trevolution also showed that in 2024, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Ghana, and Italy are among the top destinations for leisure and visiting friends and family segments.