In a major update from India, the national carrier Air India is said to have placed another major Airbus order as part of its aggressive expansion plan.
On October 9th, 2024 the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus published a routine progress update. The report showed a massive order of 86 jets from an unnamed customer.
Reports from Reuters and Bloomberg have suggested that this order was placed by Indian carrier Air India. With this order, Air India has exhausted its options from the previous order placed by the airline with Airbus.
Recent Purchase by Unnamed Customer
The order consists of 75 Airbus 320 family jets and 10 A350 to cater their long-haul flight demand. This comes as an add-on to the order already placed by the airline last year. This bulk order was for 250 Airbus aircraft, and 220 with Boeing.
Air India is currently in need of desperate fleet upgrade. Most of its long-haul flights are operated by either the Boeing 777 or 787. These are now showing signs of aging and attract complaints from its passengers.
These new aircraft will help the airline replace its old and ageing fleet thereby gradually bringing down the operating cost. Currently the newly delivered A350s have started operating on international routes.
This news comes at a time when the airline is mourning the loss of former chairman Shri Ratan Tata, who was pioneer in Indian aviation industry and left behind a legacy.
It was Shri JRD Tata who founded the airline in 1932. It was subsequently acquired by the Government of India. In 2022, the airline was then privatized and Tata Group acquired it. Shri Ratan Tata was given a state funeral.
Air India and Vistara Merger
Tata Group by then had already owned Air India and Vistara, which was one of the best airlines in the country. After the acquisition, Air India and Vistara are set to merge. The Vistara brand would then cease to exist.
The deadline has been set to 11th November 2024 when Vistara will operate its last flight and all scheduled flights from 12th November will be operated under Air India brand. Air Asia India already merged with Air India Express.
Reports also suggest that Air India is in talks with Boeing as well to increase its order book but the airline has declined to comment.
The carrier now remains the sole full-service carrier in the country after merger with Vistara. The airline plans to go head-on with India’s largest carrier IndiGo, which currently holds a huge market share even after merger of the airlines under Tata Group.
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