Air India has rejigged its mega aircraft order with Airbus, increasing the number of the A321neo and A350-900 aircraft and reducing the number of A320neo and A350-1000 planes, even as the overall order size in terms of aircraft count remains the same at 250, as per the latest orders data released by Airbus for November.
Air India’s narrow-body order now stands at 140 A321neo aircraft (against 70 earlier) and 70 A320neo planes (against 140 earlier), the orders data shows. In the case of the 40 wide-body planes on order with Airbus, the airline now has a 50:50 split–20 each of A350-900 and A350-1000 aircraft. In the original order, Air India had gone for six A350-900 and 34 A350-1000 planes.
Large aircraft orders usually have provisions for such adjustments, which airlines can exercise due to various considerations like network planning, airport slot considerations, changes in passenger demand forecast, and delivery schedule, among others. Air India has so far not commented on its Airbus order rejig.
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Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the airline said they regularly review their orderbook and exercise contractual flexibilities as appropriate. “We regularly review our orderbook based on business requirements and opportunities, and exercise contractual flexibilities as appropriate,” the spokesperson said.
Wide-body planes are usually deployed to operate long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights, while narrow-body aircraft are predominantly used for domestic flights, and can also be employed to operate short- and medium-haul international hops. The A321neo can carry more passengers and has a longer travel range than the A320neo. Similarly, the A350-1000 has a higher passenger-carrying capacity as well as range than the A350-900.
The A321neo order could include A321LR (long-range) and A321XLR (extra-long-range) aircraft, which would allow Air India to operate narrow-body flights to destinations beyond the range of its current narrow-body fleet. Airbus does not provide the sub-type order data for its A321neo range.
Air India’s 250-plane order with Airbus is part of the airline’s combined order for 470 aircraft, with the remaining 220 planes on order with Boeing. So far, there have been no changes in Air India’s Boeing order profile. The airline had ordered 190 narrow-body Boeing 737MAX aircraft and 30 wide-body planes–20 787-9 Dreamliners and 10 777X aircraft.
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The combined order for 470 planes was announced on February 14 and purchase agreements between Air India and the two aircraft manufacturers were inked in June at the Paris Air Show. Apart from the 470 planes that make up the firm order, the deals include options to buy another 370 planes–300 from Airbus and 70 from Boeing.
The aircraft will serve the revamped Air India group. The Tata group is currently in the process of consolidating its four airlines–Air India, Vistara, Air India Express, and AIX Connect (Air Asia India)–into a full-service carrier and a low-cost carrier. The full-service carrier, which will be formed with the merger of Air India and Vistara, will be called Air India, while the other two group airlines will merge to form the no-frills carrier, which will retain the Air India Express brand.
Ever since Air India returned to the Tata Group in January 2022, the new owners have been focussed on sprucing up the product offering, while also planning an extensive expansion for the airline. A five-year roadmap–Vihaan.AI–was prepared with the objective of substantially growing the airline’s network and fleet in a bid to put it on a “path to sustained growth, profitability, and market leadership”. The twin orders are a key element in that strategy. Air India is also in the process of refurbishing its existing planes and trying to get a few grounded ones back in the air.