It seems like Air India, and India as a whole, just can’t get planes fast enough to cope with fleet renovations and growing air travel demand. Air India has already ordered a massive amount of planes from both Airbus and Boeing and has just disclosed an addendum to the standing Airbus order which makes the total number all the more mind-blowing.
Air India Reveals Order for Further 100 Airbus Aircraft
In 2023 Air India made aviation headlines as the TATA-owned airline placed a massive 250 aircraft order. That order was made up of a mix narrow and wide body planes, specifically of A320 family planes and A350s. Over the past year and a half the airline has already received 6, with all of them being A350-900s. Aircraft the airline rapidly put into use first for domestic service and then for some of its long-haul routes.
Now, on top of the standing 244 Airbus aircraft backlog Air India has revealed that it has another 100 planes on order. The order isn’t news to Airbus as they already had it included in their order sheet in the undisclosed line. Therefore, the news is only to us in the public that don’t know who the undisclosed orders are actually placed by.
This addendum to the standing Airbus order, adds more planes of the same type to the backlog, more precisely:
- 10 Airbus A350s
- 90 Airbus A320 Family
What we don’t know is which variants of both aircraft type the airline has ordered. Until now the Indian carrier has only received A350-900s, however, we don’t know right now if that will continue to be the case for future deliveries. Same goes for the A320 family aircraft ordered. We don’t know if they will be A320s, A321s or A321LR/XLR.
The Carrier Also Relying on Airbus Maintenance Services
With such a large number of planes on order the Indian national carrier will have its work cut out for itself servicing them and keeping them in top shape. Therefore along with disclosing the additional 100 aircraft ordered the carrier has also announced it will be adopting Airbus’ Flight Hour Services-Component.
An onnicomprensive maintenance and components package that will simplify up-keeping of the fleet as the airline builds up its in-house capabilities on the longer term. The FHS-C package also ensures certainty of access to components which is not something to be underestimated in the current era of supply chain issues.