Budget carrier IndiGo has become the first domestic carrier to operate 1,500 flights per day, a feat which is in line with its expansion strategy. The 1,500th flight was operated in December, the airline said in a release. IndiGo had flown its 1,000th daily service in December last year.

The airline currently has a fleet of 249 planes and operates to 83 destinations, including 23 international ones. "We are pleased to be the first Indian airline

to touch 1,500 daily departures, with one flight taking off every minute," IndiGo chief executive officer Ronojoy Dutta said.

With this, IndiGo now operates on average one flight per minute. He said this growth has been achieved on the back of unparalleled network offered by the airline in the country. "2019 has been an eventful year with many new partnerships, orders and milestones. We are optimistic about 2020, and our endeavour will be to build focus cities and traffic corridors that connect India to the world," Dutta added.

The airline flies over 2.50 lakh passengers per day, he said. "Our mission is to promote trade, tourism and economic growth by increasing mobility and accessibility across the length and breadth of the country," Dutta said.

IndiGo expanded its operations to 11 domestic and eight international new destinations inclusive of multiple exclusive and virgin routes, increasing its portfolio by 22 percent, between January to December this year, the release

said.

Besides launching flights to Shillong, Gaya, Jodhpur, Belgaum, Silchar, Shirdi and Mysore in the domestic market, IndiGo also made its entry in the European market with a flight service to Istanbul, and also launched operations to Jeddah, Chengdu, Yangon, Hanoi, Riyadh, Ho Chi Minh City and Guangzhou in 2019.

In addition to this,the newly-built Kannur airport was connected to Bengaluru, Kochi, Goa, Hubli, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram, it said.

Besides announcing orders of 280 CFM engines and 300 Airbus aircraft to fuel its future growth, the carrier also became a member of the international airline's body, IATA.