IndiGo, the well known low-cost Indian carrier has joined IATA, becoming the fourth Indian airline to do so. This move will streamline interaction with other airline members as well as make international route planning more simplified.

Who is IATA?

If you are not familiar, IATA (International Air Transport Association) is an international organization that helps airlines work with governments around the world. They work on issues such as international standards for safety, as well as security, sustainability, and efficiency.

IATA also boosts the interests of airlines, meeting with governments to ensure that airlines operating within and to that country have their voices heard. Plus, with such a large block of members, IATA can help lower fees and other costs in some cases.

Airlines who join the ranks can work well with other airlines as they know they are all matched to the same standards, and thus can have very fluid cooperation. Approx 300 airlines are members of IATA and this accounts for around 82% of all flights operating in the world today.

That being said, some very big airlines have chosen not to join IATA, such as Ryanair, EasyJet, and Air Asia. These airlines have such vast networks that they don't need to cooperate and don't want to hamfisted by any additional regulation.

Why is IndiGo joining?

IndiGo has become the fourth Indian airline to join IATA, behind Air India, Spice Jet and Vistara.

becoming a member of IATA will help the airline expand its routes beyond just India, with the airline already partnering up with Qatar for a one-way code-share.

"The one-way codeshare agreement between the two carriers will enable Qatar Airways to place its code on IndiGo flights between Doha and Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. This is the second codeshare agreement for IndiGo as part of its growth strategy for international markets. Qatar Airways will place its code “QR” on IndiGo operated flights between the mentioned destinations." - IndiGo press release

The airline has flights to China, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Middle East. But being a member will greatly speed up entry into Europe and other Asian destinations.

“Being a member of IATA will help IndiGo grow its network faster by building relationships with other airlines,” says Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, IndiGo's president and chief operating officer in an interview with Flight Global.

IndiGo has already fully complied with IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) to ensure that the airline operates and manages their airline in a safe and secure way, and has signed up for IATA financial services (known as the IATA Clearing House) to secure payments between airlines.

What do you think of this news? Is this a good move by IndiGo? Or should they stay independent like AirAsia? Let us know in the comments.