Air India has ordered 470 new aircraft – a record for the airline industry – as the airline pushes to become a bigger global player.
Chairman N Chandrasekaran said the airline aims to become “a world-class offering”.
The orders from Europe’s Airbus and US Boeing aim to modernize the airline’s fleet and allow it to “dramatically” expand its network.
The first aircraft will enter service at the end of this year.
The orders come less than two years after sustained losses prompted the Indian government to sell the airline to Tata Group, India’s largest conglomerate, which founded the company in 1932.
“Air India is on a major transformation journey,” Mr Chandrasekaran said in a statement announcing the deals. “This order is an important step in realizing Air India’s ambition…to offer a world-class experience for global travelers with an Indian heart.”
Air India said it wanted to deliver Airbus 250 planes and Boeing another 220 jets – a big boost for two companies that had seen a sharp drop in commercial business as travel slowed during the Covid pandemic.
Currently, Indian travelers rely heavily on Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad and other Middle Eastern airlines for international travel.
Those orders could change that, aviation analyst Mark Martin said, but the airline faces the challenge of quickly modernizing its operations, including software, maintenance and systems for the new plane.
“If they are successful, they will bring India’s uniqueness back to the world after many years,” said Mr. Martin.
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