Tata Group-owned Air India has announced a significant expansion of its Airbus fleet, placing orders for 10 A350 widebody and 90 single-aisle A320 Family aircraft.
This latest order is already incorporated into Airbus’ 2024 orderbook. It complements the previous order of 40 A350 and 210 A320 Family aircraft made in 2023.
The new procurement brings Air India’s total Airbus aircraft orderbook to 344, with six A350-900s already delivered. Simultaneously, the airline has selected Airbus’ Flight Hour Services-Component (FHS-C) to optimize the performance and reliability of its growing A350 fleet.
Fleet Expansion Follows Indian Aviation Growth
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, emphasized the strategic rationale behind the expansion.
“With India’s passenger growth outpacing global trends, improving infrastructure, and an increasingly global young population, we see a clear opportunity to expand beyond our initial 470 aircraft order,” he stated.
Chandrasekaran added that these additional 100 Airbus aircraft will position Air India for greater growth and support its mission of becoming a world-class global carrier.
Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, expressed enthusiasm about the continued partnership, noting, “Having witnessed the formidable growth of the Indian aviation sector, we are committed to supporting Air India’s ‘Vihaan.AI’ transformation plan.”
A350 Entry to Indian Market
The airline commenced A350 operations in January 2024, marking the entry of this advanced widebody aircraft into the Indian market. The A350 stands out as the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft, offering exceptional performance across various route lengths.
Its innovative design incorporates state-of-the-art technologies that deliver significant advantages, including a remarkable 25% improvement in fuel burn, operating costs, and CO₂ emissions.
The aircraft achieves a 50% noise reduction compared to previous generation aircraft and boasts long-range capabilities up to 9,700 nautical miles.
The A321neo—the largest member of the A320neo Family—brings equally impressive efficiency to Air India’s fleet.
This aircraft offers a 50% noise reduction and delivers over 20% fuel and CO₂ savings. It features the widest single-aisle cabin in the market, providing enhanced passenger comfort and operational efficiency.
Engineering & Maintenance Support
The Airbus Flight Hour Services (FHS-C) contract provides comprehensive maintenance support. This includes maintaining an on-site stock at Delhi, providing access to regional spares pools. It offers repair and engineering services, ensuring guaranteed service levels, and delivering advanced component engineering expertise.
This approach will enable Air India to maximize aircraft availability while simultaneously reducing maintenance costs.
The additional aircraft and maintenance services further underscore Air India’s commitment to fleet modernization and operational optimization.
Under Tata Group’s leadership, the airline is positioning for significant growth in the competitive global aviation market. Domestically, it will seek to capitalize on the rapidly expanding Indian aviation sector.
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