IndiGo to introduce Business Class seating starting in November

India’s biggest airline IndiGo will introduce business class seats from mid-November on a handful of domestic routes, its CEO said on Monday.

Until now, the low-cost airline had only operated its flights in economy class.

The airline will launch business class tickets on a total of 12 routes, starting with Delhi-Mumbai at $214 one way. It will also serve the cities of Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad over the next year.

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“Considering India’s soaring economy and the evolving aspirations of our customers, it’s a very natural moment to move in that direction,” CEO Pieter Elbers said during a company event in New Delhi.

India is one of the world’s fastest-growing domestic air travel markets where IndiGo has a more than 60% share. Its new business class product will pit IndiGo against the country’s only full-service carrier, Air India, which is undergoing a multimillion-dollar revamp under its new owner Tata Group.

About 40 planes will be fitted with the dual-class cabin, and the airline will offer 12 business class seats out of a total of 220 on its Airbus A321 aircraft.

IndiGo’s foray into business class is the latest in a string of strategy shifts, from launching in-flight entertainment on a mobile app to a bet on long-haul travel through its first-ever widebody jet order.

With information from Reuters