131467952

IndiGo will temporarily discontinue flights to and from Manchester from August 31, citing prolonged airspace restrictions, rising operating costs and an increasingly challenging international aviation environment.The airline said the suspension would result in... IndiGo will temporarily discontinue flights to and from Manchester from August 31, citing prolonged airspace restrictions, rising operating costs and an increasingly challenging international aviation environment.The airline said the suspension would result in the return of one of the six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft it had leased from Norse Atlantic Airways as part of its long-haul expansion strategy."Due to continuing international airspace constraints leading to significantly increased flight duration and a challenging cost environment, IndiGo is having to temporarily discontinue its flight operations to and from Manchester with effect from 31 August 2026," the airline said in a statement on Tuesday.IndiGo had inducted six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on damp and wet lease from Norse Atlantic Airways in early 2025 to accelerate its entry into the European market ahead of the arrival of its own Airbus A350 fleet.The Manchester route was among the airline's first long-haul international services under this strategy. However, IndiGo said a combination of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, elevated aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, severe airspace constraints and foreign exchange volatility had significantly increased operating costs beyond initial estimates.Abhijit Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at IndiGo, said the airline had witnessed encouraging demand on the route but was compelled to pause services due to operational challenges."We inducted these wide-body aircraft on a short-term basis to fast-track our connectivity to high-potential long-haul destinations such as Manchester and witnessed very encouraging demand response," Dasgupta said."It is unfortunate that longer flying times due to airspace constraints coupled with dramatically escalating costs compelled us to take the decision to temporarily discontinue our India-Manchester services," he added.The airline maintained that the suspension is temporary and reiterated its commitment to expanding long-haul international operations. Dasgupta said the strong customer response had reinforced IndiGo's confidence in the long-term potential of the route and its broader international ambitions.IndiGo said it will inform affected passengers in advance and provide support through alternative travel arrangements or refunds, wherever applicable.The airline clarified that all its other long-haul services will continue to operate as scheduled. IndiGo will temporarily discontinue flights to and from Manchester from August 31, citing prolonged airspace restrictions, rising operating costs and an increasingly challenging...