IndiGo gets a 6-month extension to fly widebody aircraft wet-leased from Turkish Airlines

India’s aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has extended IndiGo’s wet lease agreement with Turkish Airlines for two Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft by six months.

The move allows InterGlobe Aviation , the operator of IndiGo, to continue flights to Istanbul from Delhi and Mumbai beyond August 31, the end date of the wet lease agreement for these aircraft. IndiGo can now fly these aircraft until February 28, 2026.

“We acknowledge the acceptance of IndiGo’s request for extension to its wet lease arrangement with Turkish Airlines, subject to conditions laid down by the regulator,” a spokesperson of the Gurugram-based carrier said.

With the closure of Pakistan airspace for Indian carriers, IndiGo had requested an extension of its wet lease agreement with Turkish Airlines as its narrow-body Airbus aircraft would not have been able to fly directly between Delhi and Istanbul.

“Given the current geopolitical challenges, this extension provides much-needed continuity and stability in operations, allowing us to better serve the growing demand for international travel,” the IndiGo spokesperson said.

“This approval comes at a crucial time and will help mitigate losses to the Indian aviation due to geopolitical restrictions, and greatly benefitting Indian travellers during the peak travel season by ensuring a seamless, direct connection to Istanbul and points beyond,” the spokesperson said. “We are thankful to the authorities for accepting our request for extension. As always, we continue to be fully compliant with the relevant regulations and conditions of extension laid down by the authorities.”

While IndiGo's profitability had been resilient despite geopolitical challenges, rating agency ICRA projects the Indian aviation industry to report a wider net loss of ₹9,500-10,500 crore in FY26 compared to an estimated ₹5,500 crore in FY25.

India's ties with Turkey became strained following the India-Pakistan conflict in May this year.

To be clear, IndiGo was granted a one-time “last and final” extension of three months for these damp-leased aircraft in May, based on the undertaking from the airline that they will terminate the damp lease with Turkish Airlines within this extension period.

IndiGo currently operates two nonstop flights to Istanbul from Delhi and Mumbai. Both these flights use damp-leased Boeing 777 aircraft from Turkish Airlines.

In May, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said that “lots and lots of Indian customers” are booked on the airline’s flights to Istanbul which serves as a base for air passengers travelling to other parts of the world with IndiGo’s codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines.

“We have a codeshare with Turkish where we fly to a certain point and beyond that the customer flies with some other carrier,” Elbers had said