Air India has finally completed the record order it has been preparing for months. United States President Joe Biden today announced an aircraft purchase agreement between the airline and Boeing. The order is part of a mammoth order by the airline, which today also confirmed an order for 250 aircraft from Airbus.
Under the deal, Air India will add 190 Boeing 737 MAX (737-8 and 737-10 variants), twenty 787-9 and ten 777X. Options to purchase an additional fifty 737 MAX and twenty 787-9 were also included. This could bring the order total to 290 aircraft, valued at 45.9 billion dollars.
«Together with Prime Minister Modi, I look forward to deepening our partnership even further as we continue to address shared global challenges, creating a safer and more prosperous future for all our citizens», Biden said.
.@airindiain is #ReadyForMore! Congratulations on your selection of 190 737 MAXs, including 737-8 and 737-10, 20 787-9 #Dreamliner(s), and 10 777-9s.
With options for 70 more Boeing jets, you are well on your way. ✈️✈️✈️ pic.twitter.com/UIfYU1tB6m
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) February 14, 2023
New management and complete overhaul of Air India
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Group, said the new management is committed to «building a world class airline». He said one of the main factors to achieve this is to have «a modern fleet which is efficient and can perform for all routes».
The company plans to add 21 Airbus A320neo and four A321neo from the first quarter of 2023 to reinforce its domestic and international short and medium-haul network. Next March, it will take delivery of three Boeing 777-300ER to operate flights between India and the United States. In recent months, the airline has already added five new Boeing 777-200LRs.
Air India currently operates 18 Airbus A319, 36 Airbus A320 (27 of which are A320neo), 14 A321, five Boeing 777-200LRs, thirteen Boeing 777-300ER and 27 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The average age of the fleet is 10.2 years.
Air India Express has 25 Boeing 737-800s while Alliance Air, its regional subsidiary, operates eight ATR 72-600.
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