Big Deal: Air India Orders Over 500 Boeing and Airbus Aircraft

Air India has taken its fleet expansion drive to a whole new level with a record and historic order from the two largest aircraft manufacturers in the world - Boeing and Airbus.

The airline today announced an order for 290 Boeing jets, including 190 Boeing 737 MAX, 20 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and 10 Boeing 777X airplanes with options for 50 additional Boeing 737 MAXs and 20 Boeing 787-9s.

When finalized, this will be the largest Boeing order in South Asia and a historic milestone in the aerospace company's nearly 90-year partnership with the carrier. The order will post to Boeing's Orders and Deliveries website when final.

Air India already has 27 Boeing 787-8s in its fleet. The larger Boeing 787-9 will provide increased capacity, greater range and 25% better fuel efficiency compared to earlier generation jets.

The flagship Boeing 777-9 is the world's largest and most efficient twin-engine jet. It will be the largest airplane in Air India's fleet, enabling it to fly passengers non-stop and in enhanced comfort to almost any long-haul destination.

The Tata Group-owned Air India has also announced its commitment to order 250 Airbus aircraft to boost its domestic and international operations.

The commitment includes 140 A320neo and 70 A321neo single-aisle aircraft as well as 34 A350-1000 and 6 A350-900 jets that will mark a new era for the country as the all-new, long-range aircraft celebrates its debut in the Indian market.

The order aims to both modernise and expand the airline’s fleet with the objective of creating a larger and premium full-service carrier that will cater to the growing travel demand in the region. Deliveries are set to commence with the first A350-900 arriving by late-2023.