Air India could create history by placing one of the largest aircraft orders ever that will see a mix of widebody and narrowbody airplanes from Boeing and Airbus. The airline is witnessing changes unlike anyone has seen in recent times, with massive restructuring in almost every department to prepare for the coming years.

Massive orders

Air India is reportedly in the process of inking deals with Airbus and Boeing for up to 500 airplanes. According to Reuters, the orders could include almost 400 narrowbody planes and 100 widebodies of all the popular twin-engine planes such as the Boeing 787, 777, and Airbus A350.

Air India Boeing 787 arrives into Sydney
Photo: Getty Images

Sources have revealed that the deals are in the final stages and could be confirmed sooner rather than later. The massive order could be up to $100 billion in list prices, but Air India is likely to get discounts, as usually happens in such cases. Still, one could expect the transactions to be worth tens of billions of dollars.

At the moment, there have been no official statements made by Air India, Boeing, and Airbus.

Analyzing options

The delivery of these jets is expected to spread over the next decade and will result in a massive overhaul of Air India’s fleet. The decision will dictate Air India’s growth trajectory in the years to come, and so its CEO Campbell Wilson has not been rushing to make any decisions, despite plane and engine manufacturers lining up to sign deals.

Air India Airbus A320 aircraft landing in Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal
Photo: Getty Images

The A320 has long carried the bulk of Air India’s domestic operations but with Airbus booked until 2028, the carrier is exploring other options for smaller jets. Recent reports suggest that Air India is looking to order up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX planes, with the plane maker promising immediate delivery of 50 white tails originally meant for China Southern. There’s also speculation that these MAXs could also go to Air India Express, which has been wanting new planes for a while.

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For widebody airplanes, Air India is said to have examined all options and could go for a mix of all the popular twin-engine jets such as the A350, B777, and B787. The case for the A350 becomes even stronger with Airbus looking to utilize several slots that were initially meant for Russian carrier Aeroflot.

Airbus A350XWB Widebody in flight
Photo: Airbus

The road ahead

Backed by trusted names such as the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, things are certainly looking up for Air India (AI). But there’s still plenty to take care of. One of the biggest hurdles to cross for AI is to recapture the domestic market in India, which has been taken over by IndiGo. The hundreds of narrowbody planes expected to arrive in the coming years will certainly help with AI’s domestic network expansion.

For the international market, Air India will look to break the dominance of the ME3 carriers in the Indian market and offer more non-stop options to passengers looking to travel to Europe and the US.

Air India employees look at the newly acquired Boeing 777-200LR aircraft
Photo: Getty Images

The carrier has also begun the process of refurbishing its existing widebody fleet to offer a better product to passengers and will receive several narrowbody and widebody planes in the short term to fulfill its immediate needs.

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Here’s hoping the country’s aviation infrastructure will also accelerate in the coming decade to keep up with not just Air India’s ambitious plans but of other airlines as well.

What do you make of Air India’s fleet strategy? Please leave a comment below.

Source: Reuters

  • Air India Tile
    Air India
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    AI/AIC
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport
    Year Founded:
    1946
    Alliance:
    Star Alliance
    CEO:
    Campbell Wilson
    Country:
    India
    Region:
    Asia