GoAir, an Indian budget airline, inducted it’s 20th aircraft, a Airbus A320neo, this month, making the airline eligible for international services, which are likely to start by next year with flights to Europe.
The Wadia group-owned airline has been running domestically, but airline officials told the Civil Aviation Ministry they would like to fly to Europe, and the Gulf.
If GoAir services Europe, it will be the first Indian budget airlines to do so. Of the other low-cost airlines, only SpiceJet and IndiGo currently fly international operations, but they service the Gulf, Southeast Asia and SAAR Regions.
GoAir has not yet submitted formal plans for servicing internationally, Ministry of Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey told Mint, but also requested charter flights to Europe.
Earlier this month, Airbus SAS announced the delivery of the first of the 72 A320neo orders for GoAir to join the existing fleet of 19, which made this international thought a possibility. In order to conduct international operations, Indian carriers have to fly local routes for five years and have a 20-plane fleet.
(UPDATE: India's government approved a civil aviation policy on June 15 which, among other things, eliminated the rule that airlines must operate for five years. The new rule only calls for airlines having at least 20 planes, with no specification on years of operation.)
Eight other planes are expected to be delivered by March 17, a GoAir spokesman told Economic Times.
"With the induction of the first of our 72 NEO aircraft on order, we have reached a fleet strength of 20 aircraft," GoAir CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said in a news release. "With this expansion we will be able to strengthen our domestic network and will also be available to fly on international routes."
GoAir isn't the only Indian airline expecting deliveries. According to India Times, Airbus Executive Vice President for Marketing and Strategy Kiran Roas said there is a total backlog of 526 planes expected to reach India. The company plans to deliver one plane a week to the country for the next ten years, according to Economic Times.
Operating oversees with the Airbus A320neo would require a large reduction of seating capacity to be able to fly for a long haul, Economic Times reports. The would also not be able to fly directly, but rather would operate "hopping flights," Choubey said.
