Air India, a part of the Tata Sons conglomerate, today announced it has signed letters of intent with Airbus and Boeing to buy both wide-body and single-aisle aircraft.
The order comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s wide-body aircraft, as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft.
Rolls-Royce engines will power the A350. GE Aerospace engines will power the B777/787s.
CFM International engines will power all single-aisle aircraft.
The first of the new aircraft will enter service later this year, with the bulk to arrive from mid-2025 onwards.
Air India will buy 20 Boeing 787s
Meantime, Air India has already started taking delivery of 11 leased B777 and 25 A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network expansion.
The acquisition of new aircraft, which will come with an entirely new cabin interior, complements Air India's previously announced plan to refit its existing wide-body B787 and B777 aircraft with new seats and in-flight entertainment systems. The first of these refitted aircraft will enter service in mid-2024.
Air India will buy 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft
The Air India group comprises full-service Air India, as well as two low-cost subsidiaries Air India Express and Air Asia India, which are in the process of merging. Its parent, Tata Sons, recently announced its intention to merge Air India with full-service airline Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines in which the former holds a 51 per cent share.
In steady state, subject to regulatory approval, the group would comprise a single full-service airline, Air India, and a single low-cost airline, Air India Express.
