AIR INDIA has placed an order for 100 more Airbus aircraft to expand its fleet and enhance connectivity, the Tata Group-owned carrier announced on Monday.
The new order includes 10 widebody A350 planes and 90 narrowbody A320 family aircraft. The purchase is in addition to the 470 aircraft Air India ordered last year from Airbus and Boeing, the airline said in a statement.
Air India described the 2023 orders as the largest announced simultaneously by a commercial airline. While the combined value of the 470 jets was estimated at over £54.69 billion at list prices, the airline has not disclosed the cost of the latest deal.
The carrier stated that this latest purchase brings the total number of Airbus aircraft ordered in 2023 to 350, comprising 40 A350 and 310 A320 family planes.
Since its acquisition of Air India in 2022, the Tata Group has focused on reviving the loss-making airline by modernising its fleet and introducing new planes.
Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said the additional aircraft would help position Air India for further growth. "These additional 100 Airbus aircraft will help to position Air India on the path to greater growth and contribute to our mission of building Air India into a world-class airline that connects India to every corner of the world," he said.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury welcomed the move. "Having personally witnessed the formidable growth of the Indian aviation sector... I am glad to see Air India renew its trust in Airbus with this additional order," he said.
A protestor is detained by the police during a demonstration against the proposed site of the new Chinese Embassy, outside Royal Mint Court, in London. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso. 
