Now Reading: IndiGo, Air India expand flights to Philippines as demand jumps
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IndiGo, Air India expand flights to Philippines as demand jumps
IndiGo, Air India expand flights to Philippines as demand jumps
Indian carriers are expanding capacity to the Philippines, with Air India deploying a larger 256-seater Boeing 787 on its Delhi-Manila route from October 25, replacing the current 188-seater A321. IndiGo has sought…
Indian carriers are expanding capacity to the Philippines, with Air India deploying a larger 256-seater Boeing 787 on its Delhi-Manila route from October 25, replacing the current 188-seater A321. IndiGo has sought approval from the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board to launch flights to Manila and Cebu, while Philippines Airlines plans to start services to Delhi and Mumbai in the winter schedule.
The moves follow a surge in travel: over 60,000 Indians visited the Philippines in the first six months of 2026, a 43% year-on-year increase, driven by a visa-free entry scheme. Bilateral relations were elevated to a strategic partnership in 2025, with cooperation in digital and defence sectors and efforts to boost trade and investment.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Philippines is the latest Southeast Asian destination where Indian carriers see untapped potential, following capacity additions to Vietnam and Thailand. India and the Philippines signed a defence pact in 2023 and a digital cooperation MoU in 2024, providing a diplomatic backdrop for the aviation push. For IndiGo, entering Manila and Cebu would mark its first foray into the Philippines, diversifying its international network beyond the Middle East and South Asia. The real test of demand will come in winter 2026, when Philippines Airlines' planned Delhi and Mumbai services will create the first direct competition on those city-pairs, pressuring fares and load factors on Air India's existing Delhi-Manila operation.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
