In May this year, Indigo made their first order of ATR turbo-props. They intend to start regional operations and have ordered 50 planes.
Now, more details have begun to emerge about the plans of Indigo, and in fact, the first pictures of an Indigo ATR are out, just as the aeroplane got out of the paint shop. Here is the picture.
Indigo ATR 72-600
Now, other details about Indigo’s ATR operations are also starting to come to light. To start, with the ATRs, Indigo is planning to put the first ones in the air by November 2017, starting operations out of South India.
According to the Mint, the interesting turn could be of how the aircraft will have its seating. They state that at the front of the aircraft, four passengers could sit face to face with each other rather than everyone looking in the front. And it seems the DGCA has cleared this seat map. Also,
South India is likely to be the focus of IndiGo’s regional operations, at least in the first phase. The airline’s first three ATRs are expected to be based out of Hyderabad and will start flying to the temple town of Tirupati, besides Vijayawada and Rajahmundry, from December.
Now, the new seat map is not entirely new. I’ve almost certainly seen or been on another turboprop which had facing seats somewhere just can’t place it right now.
It is interesting to note that while Jet Airways is pulling out of the ATR markets, Indigo is going big on the same market. It is reflective of their strategy of going big on anything they plan to do.
How do you think Indigo’s new ATR fleet will work out?
Shouldn’t the registration number start with VT? or do turbo props follow a different registration process?
@Neil, the plane has a french registration till the time it will not be handed over to Indigo (transfer of title) then it goes into an Indian registration.
Smart move by Indigo to take advantage of the Udaan scheme. Will cover their costs with the subsidies and feed their mainline operations.
Supreme Airlines in Rajasthan offers something like this on their little Cessnas.
Alliance Air’s ATR on COK-AGX sector also has facing seats in the initial row. Although, less said the better for aircraft from the Go-Go Eighties…
I so hope that now with several ATR’s in the kitty, Indigo will commence operations from BHO. It is ridiculous how few flights this city has despite being a state capital.
Front four seat facing each other where common, i have travelled BLR-Goa,etc
that was my favourite(facing each other)
Similar seating was in Air Deccan/Kingfisher atr’s, have travelled a couple of times