New Delhi: The Tata Group’s mammoth purchase of 470 aircraft as it transforms national carrier Air India could end up higher as there are 370 optional buys, Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal said Thursday.
This will bring the total fleet to 840 aircraft, the highest single-airline order in aviation history.
Air India ordered total of 840 planes from Airbus, Boeing, including 370 optional buys: Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 16, 2023
Air India’s new owners unveiled the 470-jet deal Tuesday, split between Europe’s Airbus and America’s Boeing.
The Airbus order includes 210 A320neo narrow-body planes and 40 A350 wide-body aircraft, which Air India will use to fly “ultra-long routes”, Tata Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said.
Boeing will supply 190 737 MAX, 20 of its 787 Dreamliners and 10 mini-jumbo 777X.
Together with another 25 Airbus jets to be leased, the overall acquisition reaches 495 jets, an Airbus executive told Reuters.
U.S. President Joe Biden called the agreement “historic” and discussed it by telephone with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
French Resident Emmanuel Macron said: “This achievement shows that Airbus and all its French partners are fully dedicated to develop new areas of dedication with India.”
Also read: Why Air India’s jumbo order for 470 jets could mark a turning point for Indian aviation