On the occasion of its 18th anniversary, IndiGo airlines has announced it will launch business class seats on some of its busiest routes. The “IndiGo Stretch” is a coupe-style, 2-seat wide bay which will provide a relaxed and comfortable journey for customers.
The offering will start from mid-November on the Delhi-Mumbai route at an introductory price of INR 18,018. This will be followed by a gradual scale-up on 12 routes between Indian metro cities by the end of 2025.
The seats will be manufactured by RECARO Aircraft Seating, a global market leader in the space. The RECARO R5 seats will offer advanced comfort and robust functionality, featuring a 38-inch pitch and a customised, ergonomic and lightweight design. “IndiGo Stretch” seats will come with a six-way adjustable headrest with neck support, a 5-inch deep recline for relaxation, an electronic device holder, a 60-watt USB-Type C power supply and a three-pin universal power outlet for charging passengers' devices. R5 seats are also distinguished by their customised diamond pattern quilted dress covers and advanced comfort cushions.
Furthermore, customers will also enjoy a host of complimentary benefits such as no convenience fee, a specially curated vegetarian meal box, a wide choice of beverages and advance seat selection at no additional charge, along with priority check-in and anytime boarding.
The “IndiGo Stretch” cabin will feature 12 seats in a 2-2 configuration. The 6E cabin will provide 208 seats, preserving its current seating layout, including the XL seats in the middle of the aircraft.
Pieter Elbers, the chief executive officer of IndiGo said, “IndiGo is embarking on a new path of its incredible growth story by introducing a tailor-made business product on the nation’s busiest and business routes. With India’s soaring economy and the evolving aspirations of Indian society, we believe it’s time for IndiGo to redefine business class in India, increasing [the] availability of this service for the nation. IndiGo Stretch will provide our customers the on-time performance and hassle-free and courteous experience they can expect from us while adding more space and increased priority at a great value for money”.
A much-awaited loyalty program called “IndiGo BluChip” will go live in September 2024 to reward unwavering loyal customers. IndiGo customers who become members of the program will be able to accumulate “IndiGo BluChips” on every IndiGo flight based on their spend. Members will also enjoy enhanced travel experiences with exclusive benefits. The program offers the highest rewards per spend on flights and ensures hassle-free redemption on every IndiGo flight up to the last seat available, 365 days of the year. Additionally, earned “IndiGo BluChips” never expire for active members.
Members can earn more “IndiGo BluChips” when booking directly on the IndiGo website and mobile app. A review of tiers for upgrades will occur daily as opposed to a fixed anniversary. Furthermore, five nominees can benefit from the “IndiGo BluChips” earned by a member and redeem them on IndiGo flights. The program is designed on the simple concepts of easy to earn, easy to burn, real-time redemption and lifetime validity for active members.