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IndiGo, India’s biggest carrier in terms of passenger traffic, has filed an application with the Civil Aeronautics Board to serve Philippine routes
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The petition is set for hearing on September 16, 2026; parties opposed to the application have until September 10 to file their position
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Flag carrier Philippine Airlines also has a pending petition, filed before the CAB in June, for direct flights to India
IndiGo, India’s biggest carrier in terms of passenger traffic, has filed an application with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to serve Philippine routes.
The CAB, in a notice of hearing published last week, said InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., IndiGo’s parent company, filed a petition for the issuance of a Foreign Air Carrier’s Permit to operate scheduled air transportation services to the country.
The petition is set for hearing on September 16, 2026. Parties opposed to the application have until September 10 to file their position.
No routes were specified in the CAB notice, but IndiGo – following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’ visit to India in August last year – expressed interest in serving flights to Manila and Cebu, the Philippines’ two main gateways.
Indigo, a low-cost carrier, has a fleet of over 400 aircraft, operating more than 2,200 daily flights across connecting 130 local and international destinations, according to the airline’s website. It carried over 118 million customers in 2025.
During Marcos’ India visit, the two countries agreed to implement reciprocal visa-free travel rules and resume direct flights starting October 2025.
READ: Air India to launch Delhi-Manila flights in Oct
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines also has a pending petition, filed before the CAB in June, to launch direct flights to India.
CAB held a hearing in July but a decision has yet to be issued.
The Philippines and India have an Air Services Agreement signed on September 27, 2021, which allows designated airlines from both countries to operate up to 28 flights weekly.
