IndiGo to start flights to Athens, from Mumbai, Delhi in January next year

DOmestic bearer indigofera tinctoria on fri proclaimed the set in motion of its flight services on the Mumbai-Athens route from January 23 next year and between Delhi and Athens from January 24, which will make it the only domestic carrier to offer direct flights between India and Greece.The three-times per week air services to the Greek capital city Athens will be operated with the airline's first long-range narrow-body aircraft, A321 XLR.The inaugural flight on the first A321XLR will depart from Mumbai on January 23 and arrive in Athens on the same day. Similarly, for Greece, IndiGo's flight connecting the two capital cities, Athens and Delhi, will mark their first A321XLR operation on January 24."This momentous development marks the beginning of a new era for IndiGo's long-range narrow-body operations, making us the only Indian carrier offering direct connectivity between India and Greece. We are confident that these new routes will play a vital role in strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two ancient civilisations," said Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo.Also read: Passengers stranded inside IndiGo flight for over an hour after landing at Pune airportThese routes mark a bold step in IndiGo's international strategy of connecting India to key destinations across the world, IndiGo said.Athens is emerging as a much sought-after European destination, and IndiGo, by introducing direct connectivity from Mumbai and Delhi, is poised to unlock this potential by being the only Indian carrier catering to this growing demand, it said."As outbound travel from India continues to expand, Athens is emerging as a key European destination for leisure, MICE, and wedding tourism. This direct connection will also unlock substantial potential for more bilateral engagements," Albers added.Also read: 166 additional Patna flights for Diwali and Chhath | Details of Air India moveWith the induction of the A321XLR aircraft into its fleet, IndiGo will increasingly be able to operate deeper into Europe while maintaining the cost efficiency and operational reliability that have long defined our service, he stated.With a range of up to 8,700 km, the next-generation Airbus A321XLR will enable IndiGo to operate non-stop flights from India to Southern Europe while maintaining cost efficiency.The aircraft will feature 12 IndiGoStretch (business-class) seats in a 2X2 configuration as well as 183 economy class seats.