Air India confirmed the purchase of 100 additional aircraft from Airbus, including 10 A350s and 90 from the A320neo family. This announcement increases the total number of orders placed with Airbus to 344 since 2023.
The 2023 order already included 250 aircraft, divided between 40 A350s (both A350-900 and A350-1000) and 210 narrow-body aircraft, without yet specifying the ratio of A320neo, A321neo, and their longer-range versions (LR and XLR). This latest agreement adds 10 more A350s and 90 A320neo/A321neo aircraft, solidifying Air India as one of Airbus’s top customers.
“The growth of passengers in India, which is above the global average, and improved infrastructure motivate us to expand our fleet. This additional order positions Air India on a path of sustained growth and reinforces our mission to become a world-class airline, connecting India to every corner of the world,” stated Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India.
Currently, Air India operates a fleet that includes 101 A320neos, 14 A321neos, and 6 A350-900s, along with other aircraft inherited following the merger with Air India Express and AirAsia India. The introduction of the A350 allowed the airline to expand its long-haul route network, such as non-stop connections to the United States.
“We are committed to supporting Air India’s ‘Vihaan.AI’ transformation plan under Tata’s leadership, and we appreciate their renewed confidence in our A320 and A350 family aircraft,” said Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus.
Air India also signed a contract with Airbus for its Flight Hour Services – Components (FHS-C) program, which will optimize the maintenance of the A350 fleet. This service includes the provision of on-site spare parts, comprehensive engineering, and direct technical support from Delhi, ensuring greater reliability and operational efficiency.
Air India also holds an order for 220 wide-body and narrow-body aircraft with Boeing, of which 185 aircraft remain to be delivered.
Merger of Vistara and Air India
The order comes a month after the completion of the merger between Air India and Vistara, making the former the second-largest airline in India in terms of fleet and passenger movement.
With these orders and Tata Group’s expansion model, the goal of becoming the country’s leading airline is reinforced, a position currently held by low-cost carrier IndiGO.
Currently, the unified Air India group operates more than 8,300 weekly flights across 312 routes, connecting over 100 domestic and international destinations with a fleet of 300 aircraft. The new full-service entity, Air India, operates more than 5,600 weekly flights, carrying over 120,000 passengers daily.
To support the group’s expansion, a new 60,000-square-foot training facility has been inaugurated, with the capacity to train 2,000 employees daily, and the construction of a 12-bay maintenance base has begun, expected to be operational by early 2026. More than 9,000 new employees have been hired and trained, and the airlines’ IT platform has been fully modernized, among many other developments.
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