Air India announced on Tuesday that they had placed an order for 470 planes along with 250 with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus and 220 with the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing. A year after joining the Tata group. It is the world’s largest single-tranche aircraft purchase.
It has thus surpassed American Airlines’ 2011 order for 460 planes. The aircraft deal is worth more than $70 billion at the list price. They ordered 40 wide-body A350 planes and 210 narrow-body A320neo family planes from Airbus, with the option of increasing the size of this order.
Brief Overview
Boeing has delivered ten wide-body B777X planes, twenty wide-body B787 planes, and 190 narrow-body B737MAX aircraft to the airline, with an option for another 20 B787s and 50 B737MAX aircraft. A wide-body plane has a larger fuel tank, allowing it to fly over longer distances, such as the India-US route.
Air India has agreements, in addition to the aircraft order, with three engine manufacturers: CFM International (for narrow-body A320/B737s), GE (for Boeing 777x/787s), and Rolls-Royce for A350s. In the second half of 2023, 25 Boeing 737s and six Airbus A350-900s will be delivered. Air India last ordered planes in 2006, reserving 111 planes from Boeing and 43 from Airbus.
End Note
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke via video call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday about the Airbus-Air India deal. He described it as a “landmark deal,” demonstrating India’s deep ties with France and India’s success and expectations in the civil aviation sector.
US Vice President Joe Biden called the Boeing-Air India deal “historic” in a statement. The order from Air India follows months of intense negotiations between the airline, aircraft manufacturers, and engine OEMs. This order has been hailed as evidence of growing confidence and cooperation among India, France, and the United States.
