Indigo Plans To Lease Six Boeing 737 MAX From Qatar Airways

India’s airline IndiGo will induct six Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on lease from Qatar Airways, for operating a bulk of its flights to and from Qatar’s capital Doha. The move is a part of IndiGo’s strategy given a large number of aircraft groundings due to engine and supply chain issues.

“Subject to regulatory approvals, we will induct six more aircraft from Qatar Airlines for the Doha route on wet or damp lease in the coming quarters,” said Gaurav Negi, the airline’s chief financial officer in a post-earnings investor call on Friday. Negi did not elaborate further on the induction timeline for the six aircraft. But he added that IndiGo will train its cabin crew to operate these aircraft but the pilots will be from Qatar Airways.

This will be the first time that IndiGo will induct Boeing aircraft. As part of the agreement, Qatar Airways will be responsible for maintenance of the aircraft while the cabin crew will be from IndiGo. The aircraft will be operated to flight between India and Qatar, the airline's management said.

Over 70 IndiGo aircraft are currently grounded. IndiGo recently said that it expects the number of aircraft grounded due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues to decrease by early next year, with the Indian airline also reporting its first quarterly profit fall in nearly two years.