IndiGo gets EDTO approval for 29 P&W engine-powered A320/A321neo planes

Director General Civil Aviation Arun Kumar confirmed to PTI that his office has given EDTO approval to 29 of IndiGos A320321neo planes.In response to a PTI query, IndiGo said the airline has all the pre-requisite approvals to operate its PW Neo fleet as EDTO flights.

Budget carrier IndiGo will now be able to operate longer overseas routes with its 29 Airbus A320/A321neos, powered by modified P&W engines, getting extended diversion time operations (EDTO) approval from aviation regulator DGCA, according to a source. EDTO allows a multi-engine aircraft to divert to a nearby airport in case of an emergency situation and is mainly applicable for international flights.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the maximum diversion time capability of a non-EDTO-certified twin engine plane is usually 60 minutes. EDTO authorisation up to 90 minutes are generally associated with benign with higher operational areas where higher diversion times are not required to support re-routing. As of now, IndiGo was operating A320 planes with ceo engines, which consume more fuel compared to neo engines, to operate on overseas routes, as per the source.

''IndiGo had sought EDTO approval for 32 A320/321neo aircraft powered with PW1100G engines. Out of this, 29 have got the approval and endorsed IndiGo's flying permit as EDTO approved,'' the source close to the development told PTI. Director General Civil Aviation Arun Kumar confirmed to PTI that his office has given EDTO approval to 29 of IndiGo's A320/321neo planes.

In response to a PTI query, IndiGo said the airline has all the pre-requisite approvals to operate its PW Neo fleet as EDTO flights. ''IndiGo has all the pre-requisite approvals to operate its PW Neo fleet as EDTO flights. This approval has been achieved after fulfilling all operational requirements which included conducting a validation flight,'' an airline spokesperson said in a statement to PTI.

With such an approval in place, in which the aircraft gets an additional 30 minutes for landing at a nearby airport in case of a diversion as against 60 minutes earlier, its A320 family aircraft with PWneo engines can now fly on longer overseas routes, the source said. The source said the approval for the remaining three is also expected to be received soon.