Air India expands fleet with order for 100 additional airbus aircraft

India has placed a fresh order for 100 Airbus aircraft, reinforcing its commitment to fleet expansion amid growing passenger demand. The order includes 10 wide-body A350s and 90 narrow-body A320 family jets, such as the A321neo, the airline announced on Monday.

This latest acquisition brings Air India’s total order with Airbus to 350 aircraft, up from the 250 announced in 2023. The previous order comprised 40 A350s and 210 A320 family aircraft. With this addition, Air India aims to address India’s robust aviation growth and the rising demand for global connectivity.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, stated, “With India’s passenger growth outpacing the global average, combined with improved infrastructure and a youthful population embracing international travel, the case for expanding Air India’s fleet is clear. These 100 additional aircraft will propel Air India’s vision of becoming a world-class airline connecting India to every corner of the globe.”

Strengthening aircraft support and operations To support its growing A350 fleet, Air India has signed a maintenance partnership with Airbus’ Flight Hour Services-Component (FHS-C). This agreement will provide engineering support, integrated component services, and on-site stock at Delhi, ensuring the reliability and performance of the A350s. Air India’s Vihaan.AI transformation strategy continues to drive its modernization.

Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, remarked, “Air India’s renewed trust in Airbus underscores the formidable growth of Indian aviation. We are committed to supporting Air India’s ambitious journey under the leadership of Tata Group.” Expanding fleet orders In February 2023, Air India announced an order for 470 aircraft, later confirmed in June, comprising a mix of Airbus and Boeing jets.

This included 40 Airbus A350s, 210 A320/321neos, 20 Boeing 787s, 10 Boeing 777-9s, and 190 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. With the latest additions, Air India has now received six A350s and has a total of 344 aircraft on order from Airbus, alongside 185 Boeing aircraft still to be delivered. The airline’s fleet expansion aligns with its strategic vision of transforming into a global aviation leader while catering to India’s booming aviation sector.