IndiGo Suspends Manchester Flights From August 31 Amid Rising Costs Due To West Asia Conflict

Last Updated:June 02, 2026, 22:50 IST

IndiGo said strong demand for its Manchester route was outweighed by longer flight times due to airspace restrictions and rising operating costs, making services unsustainable.

IndiGo has suspended its flight operations to and from Manchester with effect from August 31 due to increased flight duration and a challenging “cost environment" in the wake of West Asia conflict.

The airline also plans to return one of the six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, taken on damp / wet lease, to Norse Atlantic Airways. IndiGo will continue to operate all its remaining long-haul flights as planned. IndiGo had damp leased six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from Norse Atlantic Airways in early 2025. The objective behind this project was to make strategic inroads to establish the IndiGo brand in the European market, ahead of the commencement of services using its own Airbus A350 aircraft.

However, the airline has since experienced a significant impact of prevailing industry‑wide challenges, including geopolitical developments in the Middle East, rising aviation

turbine fuel (ATF) costs, severe airspace constraints, and foreign exchange volatility resulting in operating costs being considerably higher than originally envisaged.

Explaining the decision, Abhijit Dasgupta, Senior Vice President – Network Planning & Revenue Management at IndiGo, said the airline had inducted the wide-body aircraft on a short-term basis to accelerate its expansion into high-potential long-haul markets such as Manchester and had received an encouraging response from passengers.

“While demand for the route has been strong, longer flight durations caused by airspace restrictions, coupled with sharply rising operating costs, have made it difficult to sustain services under current conditions," Dasgupta said.

However, Dasgupta stressed that the suspension is only temporary. He said IndiGo remains committed to the route and hopes to resume services as soon as operating conditions become commercially viable.

“We look forward to serving Manchester again at the earliest viable opportunity and are exploring innovative solutions to continue our collaboration with Norse Atlantic Airways," he added.

He thanked passengers, trade partners in India and the UK, and Manchester Airport for their support since the route’s launch.

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Saurabh VermaSenior Sub-editor

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

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