The order will be among the largest deals in terms of value executed by a single airline (Getty)
Sources said in aviation sector Sunday, Indian Airlines is close to placing a historic order of 500 aircraft worth tens of billions of dollars from both Airbus and Boeingat a time when it is pursuing an ambitious process to revive its business under the leadership of the “Tata Group”.
The sources said the orders include 400 narrow-body aircraft and 100 or more wide-body aircraft, including dozens of Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s and 777s. The sources requested anonymity, as the final details of the deal have not yet been worked out.
The value of such a transaction might exceed $100 billion at list prices, including any concessions. It would be among the largest deals by value executed by a single airline, and might exceed a combined order by American Airlines for 460 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing a decade ago.
Even following the expected deep discounts, the deal will be worth tens of billions of dollars, and comes at the end of a volatile year for the two aircraft manufacturing giants, whose aircraft have increased demand for their planes once more following the pandemic, but are facing increasing industrial and environmental pressures.
Airbus and Boeing declined to comment. Indian Airlines did not respond to a request for comment.
China last week delivered its first C-919 aircraft, but it may take regarding a decade to be competitive at such a level, according to experts.
(Archyde.com)
