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As former British Airways, IAG and IATA chief William Walsh prepares to officially take over as IndiGo CEO on 3 August 2026, he inherits an airline facing growing questions over its international expansion strategy. The carrier has suspended its direct Manchester-Mumbai and Manchester-Delhi services, from August 31 citing rising operating costs and longer flight times caused by continuing international airspace restrictions. IndiGo is also temporarily halting flights to Langkawi, Krabi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Siem Reap until the end of September. Behind the scenes, industry sources say IndiGo is exploring ways to continue its partnership with Norse Atlantic Airways despite plans to return one leased Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The move has fuelled speculation about how quickly the airline can rebuild its long-haul ambitions before its own Airbus A350 fleet arrives. Passengers affected by the Manchester suspensions are being re-accommodated through IndiGo’s Mumbai-Amsterdam and Mumbai-London services, with full refunds available for those unwilling to travel. Attention has now turned to IndiGo’s codeshare arrangement with KLM. If maintained, travellers could still reach Manchester via Amsterdam, preserving an important link between northern England and India. The Manchester routes were launched with considerable fanfare and were viewed as a key step in establishing the IndiGo brand in Europe. Supported by both UK and Indian officials and coinciding with the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, the services were expected to generate tens of millions of pounds in exports, tourism spending and productivity gains while creating hundreds of jobs. With regional business leaders disappointed by the suspensions, the spotlight is now firmly on Walsh. Aviation insiders will be watching closely to see whether one of the industry’s most experienced executives can revive IndiGo’s European ambitions and restore confidence in its long-haul strategy.
