Why DGCA extended IndiGo’s wet lease of Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 aircrafts amid tensions with Turkiye
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday extended IndiGo's damp leasing of two Boeing 777 planes from Turkish Airlines by three months till August 31.
DGCA's latest gesture was to avoid sudden flight disruptions that will cause inconvenience to passengers. The initial decision was to end the pact with Turkish Airlines soon after Turkey's support for Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The DGCA has extended the damp leasing of the two aircraft by three months till August 31, said officials. However, IndiGo had requested an extension of six months.
The current lease of the two Boeing B777-300 ER aircraft from Turkish Airlines is set to expire on May 31.
The focus shifted to the airline's ties with Turkish Airlines after Turkiye backed Pakistan and condemned India's strikes on terror infrastructure in Islamabad and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir regions.
Meanwhile, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said that the airline will comply with any government regulations regarding leased planes from Turkish Airlines. "Flights between India and Turkiye are governed within the bilateral air service agreement. We are compliant today and we will continue to comply with any government regulations on those lines," Elbers told PTI.
With the leased Boeing 777 aircraft, IndiGo is operating direct flights to Istanbul.
On May 15, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the aviation security watchdog, revoked the security clearance for Turkish company Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd in the "interest of national security".
Advisories were issued by some travel portals and associations to avoid visiting Turkiye after its support for Pakistan.
Business