Air India was having a tough time keeping Indian travelers on their flights, as people were choosing Middle Eastern airlines like Qatar Airways and Emirates instead. But Air India didn’t just sit around feeling sorry for itself. Nope, Air India went out and made a massive order for planes – 470 in total! They split the order between two companies, Boeing and Airbus.
The order includes 220 planes from Boeing, 250 planes from Airbus, and options for an additional 70 planes from Boeing. With all these new planes, Air India wants to expand its route network and challenge huge competitors like Emirates and Qatar Airways, which have flights all over the world.
Airbus order
Air India placed an order of 250 planes which includes:
- 140x A320neo
- 70x A321neo
- 6x A350-900
- 34x A350-1000
The order intends to upgrade and increase the airline’s fleet in order to become a more expansive, full-service carrier that can meet the region’s rising travel demand. By the end of 2023, the first A350-900 is expected to be delivered.
“Airbus has been a longstanding partner of Air India, and these new aircraft will play an important part in delivering Vihaan.AI, Air India’s comprehensive transformation and growth strategy,” said Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD, Air India.
“A core element of this transformation is the significant expansion of our network, both domestically and internationally, coupled with the elevation of our on-ground and onboard product to world-class standards. This order marks the start of a new chapter for both Airbus and Air India.”
“This is a historic moment for Airbus and for Air India. India is on the verge of an international air travel revolution and we are honored that our partnership with the Tatas and our aircraft solutions will write that new chapter for the country’s air-connectivity,” says Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International.
“The A350’s unique capability will unlock the pent-up potential of India’s long-haul market, its technology, long reach and second to none comfort will enable new routes and passenger experience with better economics and enhanced sustainability. Alongside the A350s, the A320 Family fleets will be the efficient, versatile asset to continue democratizing and decarbonizing air travel in the country – from domestic, regional, up to international levels.”
Boeing order
Air India will soon be a Boeing 777X customer after the airline placed in an order of 220 Boeing planes which include:
- 190x B737 MAX (Variant not yet stated)
- 20x B787 (Variant not yet stated)
- 10x B777X (Most likely 777-9)
Option agreements for an additional 50 737 MAXs and 20 787-9s are part of the deal between Boeing and Air India. When all is said and done, this will be the biggest Boeing order in South Asia and a significant turning point in the aerospace company’s almost 90-year relationship with the airline.
“This acquisition of nearly 300, highly advanced Boeing jets is a core element of Vihaan.AI, the comprehensive transformation and growth strategy we are pursuing at Air India,” said Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD, Air India. “These new airplanes will enable us to dramatically expand our network, both domestically and internationally, and will come with a completely new, world-class onboard product enabling passengers to travel in the highest levels of comfort and safety. With this order, we are delighted to take our long relationship with Boeing to a new level.”
“Air India’s selection of Boeing’s family of passenger jets shows their confidence in our products and services in the world’s fastest growing aviation market, and their decision will support engineering and manufacturing jobs at Boeing factories in Washington state, South Carolina and across our supply base,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “With the industry-leading fuel efficiency of the 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner and 777X, Air India is well positioned to achieve its expansion plans and become a world-class global airline with an Indian heart.”
To be in the league of large global airlines
Air India just made a huge order of planes to become a big player in the global airline industry. This is happening at a time when people in India are traveling more after COVID-19.
Basically, Air India wants to get back a lot of the business they lost to foreign airlines like Emirates. They plan to do this by getting more planes and becoming a really important customer for plane manufacturers and suppliers.
Getting all these planes is also going to help Air India compete better with IndiGo, another Indian airline that’s pretty popular. IndiGo has most of the market share in India and is strong in regional flights, but with this new plane order, Air India is ready to step up its game.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
