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IndiGo Suspends Manchester Flights From August 31 Amid Rising Costs
The airline cited airspace restrictions, fuel costs and foreign-exchange volatility as operating expenses rose, while affected passengers will be offered alternatives or refunds.
India's largest airline, IndiGo, announced it will temporarily discontinue all flights to and from Manchester Airport starting August 31, 2026, citing mounting operational costs and international airspace restrictions.
Escalating operational costs, including rising aviation turbine fuel prices and foreign exchange volatility, combined with geopolitical issues in the Middle East causing airspace restrictions and longer flight times.
IndiGo confirmed it will return one of its six leased Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft to Norse Atlantic Airways, which it originally acquired in 2025 to expand in Europe ahead of deploying its own Airbus A350 fleet.
Affected passengers will receive assistance with alternative travel or refunds, while Ryanair recently cut flights to 19 airports across the UK and Europe, including Manchester and London Stansted, due to similar cost pressures.
Abhijit Dasgupta, IndiGo senior vice president of network planning and revenue management, said "We look forward to serving this route again at the earliest viable opportunity," emphasizing the discontinuation is temporary.