Air India Orders 840 Aircraft, Includes Option To Buy 370 Planes

In New Delhi: A top airline official called the order on Thursday a "landmark moment" in Indian aviation history. Air India, controlled by the Tata Group, has placed an order for 840 aircraft with Airbus and Boeing, with the option to purchase an additional 370 aircraft. The news was made by Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer for Air India, only one day after the airline revealed a definitive order for 470 aircraft, of which 250 would come from Airbus and 220 from Boeing. Mr. Aggarwal said on LinkedIn that the airline is moved by the enthusiasm their aircraft order has sparked throughout the globe. According to him, the agreement calls for 470 firm aircraft, 370 options, and buy rights from Airbus and Boeing over the following ten years. This is going to be one of the greatest aircraft orders placed by a carrier in the era of modern aviation. He claims that this deal for 840 aircraft marks the end of an intriguing journey that started over two years ago with the privatisation of Air India. 40 A350-900/1000 and 210 A320/321 Neo/XLR are included in the Airbus firm order. The 190 737-Max, 20 787, and 10 777 aircraft that make up the Boeing firm order. He said, "We have also contracted with CFM International (CFM), Rolls-Royce, and GE Aerospace for long-term maintenance of the engines.Additionally, this was the first time in more than 17 years that Air India, which Tata Group purchased from the government in January 2022, has placed an order for aircraft. By the year's end, the airline will get its first A350 aircraft. Aggarwal said on Thursday that the purchase shows Tata Group's ambition to upgrade Air India to a top-tier carrier and link India "non-stop" to all major cities.

This order, he continued, "is also a tribute to the great economic potential released by the privatisation of Air India," adding that it is unquestionably a watershed event in the history of Air India and Indian aviation. Earlier last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the Air India-Airbus deal as a "landmark contract" that also showed how India and France's relationship was growing.The historic deal between Air India and Boeing was hailed by both the prime minister and US President Joe Biden as a shining example of win-win collaboration. More than 17 years ago, when Air India was formerly owned by the government, it bought new planes. The airline has placed a US$10.8 billion order for 111 aircraft, 68 from Boeing and 43 from Airbus. The purchase was made in 2005. Approximately 470 commercial Airbus aircraft are already in service in India, while the European aircraft manufacturer has 850 aircraft on order from Indian carriers. Around 159 Boeing aircraft are used by Indian airlines. Several domestic carriers have placed orders for more than 1,100 aircraft, signalling the industry's potential for growth.