The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has relaxed the norms for airlines that seek to operate widebody aircraft on wet lease for one year.
Till now, wet leasing of widebody planes was allowed only for up to six months. As per a statement from IndiGo, the airline received written communication from the Ministry conveying the approval to allow the airline to wet lease the aircraft for six months extendable by another six months.
Just last month, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) permitted IndiGo to wet lease wide-body Boeing planes from Turkish Airlines for up to six months.
Amending the six-month rule, the ministry has agreed to extend the timeline to allow the Indian carriers on their specific request depending on their choice of an international destination. The government officials concluded that allowing wet leasing of planes for a longer period will help Indian carriers to operate more wide-bodied aircraft and ultimately help the country become a key international hub for air traffic in the coming years.
IndiGo is planning to induct Boeing 777 on wet lease from Turkish Airlines during the winter schedule.
Going ahead, Air India also plans to wet lease wide-body aircraft to meet the rising international demand.