India's IndiGo to lease two Boeing 787 jets from Norse Atlantic Airways

(Reuters) -India's top airline IndiGo said on Thursday it has agreed on a damp lease for two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner widebody jets from Norse Atlantic Airways, with operations starting early next year, as part of its efforts to tap into long-haul routes.

Under the damp lease agreement, Norse Atlantic will provide the aircraft, along with pilots and maintenance services, while IndiGo will supply the cabin crew.

The damp lease agreement adds to the existing partnership with Norse Atlantic, taking the total number of wide-body aircraft under this collaboration to six. The initial term of the latest lease is six months, extendable up to 18 months.

Indigo added one aircraft has already started operating from March 1 in the Delhi-Bangkok route.

The low-cost carrier said in March it plans to significantly increase the number of seats it allocates for international flights by fiscal year 2030.

IndiGo's push beyond the domestic market, where it commands a nearly 60% share, comes at a time when Indian carriers are racing to keep pace with surging demand for both domestic and international air travel, despite aircraft supply constraints.

The airline currently flies to over 40 international destinations, spanning from Venice to Phuket.

(Reporting by Meenakshi Maidas in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)