Low-cost carrier IndiGo is to end flights between Manchester and India this summer and will hand back the aircraft it leases from Norse Atlantic Airways on 31 August.
IndiGo launched flights between Manchester and Mumbai in July 2025, using one of six Boeing 787-9 aircraft leased from Norse.
The route was IndiGo’s first Europe service, followed shortly after by a flight to Amsterdam.
Norse Atlantic issued a statement on Tuesday evening saying it had been notified by IndiGo parent Interglobe Aviation Limited that it was handing back one of the aircraft ‘due to the closure of a UK route’.
The statement said: “The aircraft will be redelivered to Norse Atlantic 31 August 2026. IndiGo will continue to operate all its remaining aircraft leased from Norse Atlantic as planned.
“Following redelivery, the aircraft will be deployed by Norse Atlantic in its upcoming winter program for direct flights between Europe and Thailand.”
IndiGo said the Middle East crisis and rising fuel prices were factors that led to decision to pull the route.
IndiGo Senior Vice President – Network Planning & Revenue Management Abhijit Dasgupta said: “We inducted these leased wide-body aircraft to fast-track our connectivity to high potential long-haul destinations such as Manchester and witnessed very encouraging demand response.
“It is, therefore, unfortunate that longer flying times due to airspace constraints combined with dramatically escalating costs compelled us to take the decision to discontinue India –Manchester services.
“The response and support for these services have reinforced our belief in the opportunity for IndiGo’s long-haul ambitions, and we are convinced that this discontinuation is temporary. We look forward to serving this route again at the earliest viable opportunity and are exploring innovative solutions to continuing our collaboration with Norse Atlantic Airways.”
Norse CEO Elvind Roald said: “With the additional aircraft, we look forward to deploying extra capacity on our successful and profitable Thailand routes. We also continue to strengthen our strong partnership with IndiGo and have jointly initiated a strategic collaboration project to assess new and deeper cooperation.”
