Air India made a clarification on May 16 after media reports that the airline lobbied the government to cancel the leasing agreement between IndiGo and Turkish Airlines. The airline clarified that it avoids commenting on competitor airlines.
"Air India refutes the gross misrepresentation and malicious reporting of a competitor's business model in some sections of the media. We, as a respectable corporate entity, refrain from commenting on competition," the airline said.
This clarification followed a Reuters report that alleged Air India had appealed to government officials to cancel IndiGo's leasing deal with Turkish Airlines on grounds of both commercial competitiveness as well as national security as a result of Turkey's perceived political alignment with Pakistan.
The decision came amid growing public outcry in India against Turkey, more so because of its diplomatic stance on the current India-Pakistan war. The move prompted many Indian travelers to postpone travel itineraries covering Turkish destinations. On the same day, May 16, the government of India withdrew the security clearance from Celebi, a Turkish ground handler, on grounds of national security threats.
Since 2023, IndiGo has been operating a lease arrangement with Turkish Airlines, a state-sponsored organization. Turkish Airlines provides aircraft, pilots, and limited crew to fly flights between New Delhi and Mumbai and Istanbul under this agreement.
For its part, IndiGo justified its partnership with Turkish Airlines, explaining that the codeshare and leasing agreement "brings multiple advantages to Indian passengers," creates employment opportunities, helps boost the aviation sector, and has "allowed IndiGo to establish its presence within the long-haul markets in Europe and the USA.
Indian aviation laws permit such leasing arrangements to be extended for six months under extraordinary or unforeseen conditions, with the choice to renew. The current extension of IndiGo's existing agreement is up to May 31, and the airline has already applied for renewal, as per a source who knows about the situation.
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