IndiGo will operate three flights from Manchester Airport to Mumbai a week, bringing millions of pounds in trade, jobs and tourist spending
IndiGo launches direct flights between Manchester Airport and Mumbai(Image: Handout)
A new direct route between Mumbai – India’s financial capital – and Manchester Airport has launched this week and it’s set to bring an economic boost worth ‘hundreds of millions’ in the next three years.
The year-round route, operated by IndiGo, will run three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and and Saturdays on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The inaugural flight landed on Tuesday, July 1.
IndiGo is India’s biggest airline, but this is its first long haul route and entry into the European market. On July 2, the airline is also launching a route between Mumbai and Amsterdam.
The new route is the only year-round direct link between the north and India – the world’s fastest growing economy – and it’s likely to support a £32.9m increase in exports from the region as well as bring in an extra £11.8m a year in spending from Indian visitors, according to a study by independent experts Metro-Dynamics
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Around 250 jobs – including direct, supply chain and wider supporting roles – will be created by the route, which will create £12.1m of economic value for the North a year.
Findings suggest direct connectivity will also support international innovation, stimulating a rise in UK-India patents and academic citations.
CEO of IndiGo Pieter Elbers with CEO of Manchester Airport Chris Woodroofe(Image: Handout)
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has supported the route, which follows the UK and India trade deal finalised in May this year following three years of talks.
The Business and Trade Secretary said: “This new route by India’s flagship airline to Manchester – the first to anywhere in Europe – will mean families and businesses in the North of England are more connected to India and is further proof that our landmark trade deal with India is delivering for both countries.
“It is yet another example of the close relationship we share with our Indian partners and this direct flight will create opportunities for even more British and Indian firms to make use of our trade agreement, ushering in more money and jobs as part of our Plan for Change.”
The new route is set to bring an economic boost worth millions (Image: Handout)
The direct flights will also deliver a major boost for people who already travel from Manchester Airport to Mumbai, but currently have to travel indirectly. Cost, time and productivity savings worth £9m a year will be unlocked.
There are already around 234,000 people who travel from Manchester Airport’s catchment to Mumbai every year. Roughly 70,000 of them flew through Manchester but indirectly.
It is estimated the new route will increase the overall number of people who travel between Manchester and Mumbai by 21,000 per year. This uplift will give rise to many of the economic benefits identified by researchers.
Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe added: “Here at Manchester Airport we’re proud to connect the North to the world – and that goes beyond just opening up exciting opportunities for travel.
“Our new partnership with IndiGo to launch the North’s only route to Mumbai will connect the region to one of the world’s most exciting cities – but also one of the world’s biggest financial capitals.
“That will help us deliver growth here in the North. It unlocks opportunities for the region’s businesses to trade with partners in Mumbai and India more widely as well as opening up the North as a travel destination for a huge number of new visitors.
“That will bring massive benefits for our tourism industry, the education sector and will help turbo charge the Government’s industrial strategy by boosting innovation and productivity in the sectors that will sit at the heart of the country’s future prosperity.
“This research really brings that home. This new route will bring a transformative sum of money into the economy – and it’s money in the pockets of people right here in the North of England.”
IndiGo has chosen Manchester Airport as its first long-haul destination(Image: Handout)
The flights follow the opening of the Indian consulate in Manchester earlier this year, further strengthening the ties between the two locations.
Vishakha Yaduvanshi, Manchester’s Consul General of India said: “The launch of IndiGo’s direct flight between Manchester and Mumbai represents a major step forward in enhancing connectivity between India and the North of England.
“This direct link offers a faster, more convenient travel option for business travellers, tourists, and the vibrant Indian diaspora in the region. By cutting travel times and eliminating the need for connecting flights, it opens the door to stronger economic partnerships, deeper educational ties, and richer cultural exchanges.”
The boost in tourism to the region has been praised by both industry and business leaders. VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said that visitors from India are projected to spend nearly £1billion in the UK this year, and the IndiGo flights to Manchester “act as a gateway to the North West and beyond, making it easier for visitors to explore more and spreading the economic benefits of tourism across our nations and regions.”
Matthias Sinner, Head of Tourism at McArthurGlen Group, which develops, owns and manages 23 designer outlet centres across Europe and North America, including Cheshire Oaks, added: “India is a key focus market for McArthurGlen, with the number of visitors to our centres seeing strong double-digit growth year-on-year in 2024.
“Having a direct link from Mumbai to Manchester will create even more opportunities to welcome tourists from this region to our shopping destinations in the UK and Europe.”
Stockport MP Navendu Mishra also welcomed the direct flights. He said: “I am delighted that the first direct flight from Manchester to India is taking off this Tuesday, marking a historic milestone as Manchester becomes the first and only Northern airport with a direct connection to India.
“This is the result of years of campaigning, and I’m proud to see this new route finally come to fruition. It will bring significant benefits to Greater Manchester and the wider North of England- strengthening business ties, supporting our Indian diaspora, and creating new educational and cultural opportunities.
“Manchester Airport continues to play a vital role in both our local and national economy. As the third largest airport in the UK and a major employer in my constituency of Stockport, this expansion in connectivity is a very welcome step.”
IndiGo’s direct flights come at an exciting time for Manchester Airport – the UK’s biggest airport outside of London – as it nears the completion of its £1.3bn, decade-long transformation programme. Now reaching its final stages, the programme has seen the opening of the airport’s brand-new Terminal 2 – which will become the main hub of the airport serving around 70per cent of its passengers from next year.
The new super-terminal has already won the prestigious Prix Versailles for architecture and design, even before it fully opened. Later this year new parts of the terminal will open to the public – including a range of new shops, bars, cafes and restaurants in the departure lounge. That follows the opening of new check-in areas and a new security hall earlier this year.
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