While this post on Indigo was originally written in 2019, here’s our latest update from 2023 on Indigo Airlines, India’s top airlines in terms of seats booked according to recent news reports.
Why Choose Indigo Airlines?
We probably do 6 – 7 domestic flights a year as a family — usually travelling to see other family members spread across the country. Of late, I’ve noticed that we are booking Indigo Airlines more often than any other airlines. Here are the broad reasons why we choose Indigo in 2023:
Why choose Indigo?
- On time departure and arrival (plus or minus 30 minutes on average)
- Fewest flight cancellations
- Luggage reaches (most of the time)
- Less chances of the airlines collapsing (like Jet or Kingfisher or GoAir…)
Web Check-in & Seat Selection
Indigo’s web check-in is great. Really simple and to the point. You can get it done quickly without any worries. The only pain point (across airlines) is that they make you pay for any seat selection. Earlier, I used to wait a few hours before check-in to select my seat, but now that option is also gone since all seats are pre-assigned. I now have given up entirely and just take what they give me!
Queues, Queues, Queues
If you are flying economy on Indigo, you pretty much feel like a cow. The moment you enter the airport, you see this gargantuan snake-like line that stretches on forever. In disbelief, you walk around, certain that there must be another queue, another line just to drop your baggage. You have, of course, already checked in. But this doesn’t mean anything. If you are flying Indigo, you are a cow. You must join this never ending queue and slowly trod along, occasionally being prodded to move along by the Indigo staff.
While this queue may be the most efficient way to get check in done, it is psychologically maiming. I would recommend they change this somehow.
Courteous Staff
The Indigo staff has been very courteous throughout. Sure, sometimes they’ve been a little slow and inefficient (especially when they don’t know what to do with a stroller), but mostly they are respectful and well spoken. (Unlike their counterparts of Air India for instance.)
Cheap Buses to the Planes
After a 2 hour car journey to the airport, after a 2 mile long wait in a queue (slightly exaggerated), the last thing you want to do is queue up to board a BUS to a plane. But unfortunately, most budget airlines will insist on saving a few pennies and inflicting the horror of putting you on a bus rather than paying for a bridge. Just pay for the damn bridge!
Sparse But Clean Aircrafts
Indigo airlines has got a set model across all their flights. Apparently, they have the same Airbus 320 Neo plans on all their routes; their crew is trained on the same exact procedures, and everyone functions like clockwork. The Neo seats are comfortable (compared to other budget airlines) and since the seats are so slender they seem more spacious. I don’t have any complaints about the hygiene on the flights.
On Time Arrivals
I mentioned this earlier too, but most airlines seem to fudge their arrival data a bit. They claim a flight is longer than it actually is to give themselves 10-20 minutes breathing room in terms of being delayed. I have come to terms with this. Indigo generally arrives on time.
We’d love to hear your reviews of Indigo Airlines in 2023 below. Add a comment!
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