Each aircraft on this route will be configured with 195 seats: 183 in economy class and 12 in the newly introduced premium section called IndiGo Stretch. These premium seats are located at the front of the cabin in a two-two layout, offering features such as 38 inches of pitch, deeper recline, adjustable headrests, wider armrests, device holders, and USB-C power outlets.
IndiGo has started rolling out this new product across its Airbus A320 family fleet. The first aircraft featuring IndiGo Stretch entered service last November on an A321neo. Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer at IndiGo, stated:
“Athens as the inaugural destination for IndiGo’s, and India’s, first Airbus A321XLR is a symbolic milestone of India’s aviation ascent. This new aviation corridor is a strategic step in IndiGo’s international expansion and aligns perfectly with India’s growing economy and tourism industry…we are confident that this route will further encourage demand from both business and leisure segments. With this, we also look to connect to more points in Greece.”
Currently, IndiGo serves Greece via one-stop connections through Istanbul but will become the only Indian airline offering nonstop service between India and Greece when these flights begin. However, this exclusivity is expected to be short-lived; Aegean Airlines has announced plans for its own nonstop routes from Athens to Delhi and Mumbai beginning March 2026 using Airbus A321XLRs configured for lower density—138 passengers—with 24 business class suites providing full-flat beds.
Aegean Airlines expects delivery of its first A321XLRs in December this year and January 2026. It intends to operate around five weekly flights to Delhi and three weekly flights to Mumbai.
The Airbus A321XLR can fly up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers) or about eleven hours nonstop—significantly farther than previous variants like the standard A321neo or the A321LR—and can seat up to 244 passengers depending on configuration. Major airlines such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Wizz Air, Qantas, and Aer Lingus have also ordered this model due its ability to serve long-haul routes profitably where larger widebodies may not be viable.
IndiGo currently holds an order for sixty-nine Airbus A321XLRs—the largest commitment among all airlines globally—and has previously indicated interest in deploying them on routes within Europe (such as London, Paris or Amsterdam) as well as East Asia (including Beijing or Tokyo). Earlier this year Indigo expanded into Europe using damp-leased Boeing 787-9s from Norse Atlantic Airways for new services including Amsterdam and Manchester; London Heathrow services using Dreamliners are set to begin next month.
The addition of long-range narrowbody jets like the Airbus A321XLR provides opportunities for airlines like IndiGo https://simpleflying.com/airbus-a321xlr-first-delivery-delay/ looking for profitable expansion into thinner intercontinental markets without relying solely on larger twin-aisle aircraft.
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