Air India Expands Fleet with 100 Additional Airbus Aircraft
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Gurugram, Dec 9 (NationPress) Air India has officially announced that it has placed an order for 100 additional Airbus aircraft, which includes 10 widebody A350 and 90 narrowbody A320 aircraft, notably the A321neo.
This latest order adds to the 470 aircraft that Air India had previously ordered from Airbus and Boeing last year.
With this new order, the total number of aircraft that Air India has ordered from Airbus in 2023 has increased from 250 to 350, comprising 40 A350 and 210 A320 Family aircraft, according to the airline.
Additionally, Air India has decided to utilize Airbus’ Flight Hour Services-Component (FHS-C) to cater to the maintenance needs of its expanding A350 fleet.
This new materials and maintenance contract aims to enhance the reliability and performance of Air India’s A350 fleet, providing extensive engineering services and integrated component services, including on-site stock at Delhi, as offered by Airbus.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sona and Air India, stated: "With India’s passenger growth outpacing the rest of the world…These additional 100 Airbus aircraft will aid in positioning Air India towards greater growth and assist in establishing Air India as a world-class airline that connects India to every corner of the globe."
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury remarked: "Having personally witnessed the remarkable growth of the Indian aviation sector in recent months, I’m pleased to see Air India reaffirm its confidence in Airbus with this additional order for both our A320 Family and A350 aircraft."
Following the order for 100 more aircraft, Air India now has a total of 344 new aircraft on the way from Airbus, having already received six A350s to date.
In 2023, Air India also placed orders for 220 widebody and narrowbody aircraft with Boeing, with 185 aircraft yet to be delivered.
Air India is the first airline in India to operate the Airbus A350, which is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Offering exceptional fuel efficiency, passenger comfort, and long-range capabilities, the A350s provide a completely new flying experience for travelers on non-stop flights from Delhi to London and New York, according to the airline. The A320 Family fleet, running on CFM LEAP 1-A engines, forms the backbone of Air India’s domestic and short-haul operations, ensuring world-class flying experiences along with remarkable operational efficiency and flight economics, as stated by Air India.
