Now it seems that the time has finally come. The Indian airline is on the verge of an order of historic proportions. Air India wants around 500 Airbus and Boeing jets.
The Indian national airline is reinventing itself. For decades she made losses, her reputation got worse and worse. In January, the conglomerate Tata took over Air India. Since then he has been trying to put everything back together under new management.
Since then, Air India has added new routes, the service has been redefined and the aircraft have new cabins and, for the first time, Premium Economy Class. But above all, Air India also wants new aircraft. There has long been speculation about a large order from the airline. Now it seems that it will be soon.
100 billion at list prices
Air India could make both Airbus and Boeing quite happy later this year, Archyde.com reports, citing people familiar with the matter. The airline is about to place an order for around 500 aircraft. According to the report, the order should include up to 400 short- and medium-haul aircraft and 100 or more long-haul aircraft.
Among other things, it is about the Airbus A350, Boeing 787 and 777. One is just about to give the order the finishing touches, according to Archyde.com. Such an order could exceed $100 billion at list prices, including all options, making it one of the largest-volume orders ever by a single airline.
A321 Noe was already an issue
Even after the discounts customary in the industry, the order would probably still be worth tens of billions. Since Months one murmurs in the branch about such an order. But so far the airline has been taking its time. Now the decision seems to have been made.
Air India could benefit, among other things, from the fact that Airbus has some A350 production slots available. Because the Russian national airline Aeroflot had ordered long-haul jets. However, Airbus is not allowed to deliver them due to Western sanctions. In the summer it was said that Air India would also order the A321 Neo.
Merger with Vistara
It was only announced at the end of November that Air India would grow by 54 aircraft as a result of the merger with its competitor Vistara. It integrates its other Indian airline. The incorporation should be completed in March 2024, provided that all authorities approve the plan. the As a result, the Vistara brand will disappear from the market again after a little more than ten years.
Vistara was a joint venture between Tata and Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines, which holds 49 percent of Vistara, has already approved the merger. It will even invest the equivalent of 248 million euros in Air India as part of a capital increase. According to this, the city-state’s national airline holds 25.1 percent of the Indian national airline.