TOULOUSE: IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has placed a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The order will help expand IndiGo’s international network to long-haul destinations.

India, the world’s fastest-growing major aviation market, is on the verge of an international travel boom as the economy grows and household incomes rise. The A350 is perfectly positioned to serve the country’s aspirations for long-range travel. The choice of the A350 is a reaffirmation of IndiGo’s continued trust in Airbus and is yet another validation of the aircraft as the undisputed leader in long-haul air travel.

“Today’s historic moment marks a new chapter for IndiGo and will further shape the future of the airline and for Indian aviation at the same time. For IndiGo, after successfully pioneering the Indian skies with an unprecedented journey, its fleet of 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft will allow IndiGo to embark on its next phase of becoming one of the leading global aviation players. At IndiGo, we take pride in being India’s preferred airline and for offering connectivity to our customers, in and with India. This reaffirms IndiGo’s belief in, and commitment to, the growth of India, and in our strategic partnership with Airbus,” said Pieter Elbers, CEO, of IndiGo.

“A heartfelt thank you to IndiGo for putting its trust in Airbus once again, and to our respective teams who negotiated this agreement for 30 A350s. IndiGo’s first widebody order opens an exciting new chapter in our close partnership. We are proud that our fuel-efficient, next-generation A320 Family revolutionized domestic air travel in India, and that now the A350 is poised to replicate the same success on long-haul routes,” Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales, Commercial Aircraft.

Bound in a relationship of symbiotic growth with India for more than half a century, Airbus products and services have catalysed the growth of the country’s civil aviation sector. While the Airbus A320 Family is supporting the democratisation of air travel in India, the A350 has become the reference aircraft to unlock the true potential of the international market for the Indian carriers.

IndiGo is among the fastest growing airline companies in the world, and is one of the largest A320 Family customers.

The A350 is the world’s most modern and efficient wide-body aircraft in the 300-410 seater category. The A350’s clean sheet design includes state-of-the-art technologies and aerodynamics delivering unmatched standards of efficiency and comfort. Its new generation engines and use of lightweight materials bring a 25 percent advantage in fuel burn, operating costs and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compared to previous generation competitor aircraft.

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INDIA: Airbus Helicopters is celebrating 35 years of partnership with Pawan Hans Limited (PHL). The national helicopter operator inducted the first AS365N/ N3 Dauphin in its fleet in 1987.

It is the largest civil customer in the world for Airbus Dauphin helicopters deployed for off-shore oil & gas operations, and public transportation under the Government of India’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). They are also deploying the Dauphin for relief operations and emergency response during crises.

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Speaking about the deal, Mr. Vinod Sahay, President, Aerospace & Defence & CPO, Auto & Farm Sectors, Mahindra, said, “The Mahindra Group is proud of its relationship with Airbus. With this new contract, we further expand our relationship and increase our participation in the ‘Make In India’ initiative of the Government of India. We look forward to delivering on our commitments and continuing this journey of collaborative growth.”

“MASPL is privileged to be an Airbus supplier and we greatly appreciate their continued support to our growth initiatives. This award is a significant expansion of our Airbus portfolio and offers further opportunities for us to work with Airbus on performance, sustainability, and operational excellence,” said Arvind Mehra, Managing Director & CEO, of Mahindra Aerostructures.

MASPL has been a direct supplier to Airbus Group since 2015, and partners with Airbus on numerous initiatives. It has been ranked as a D2P “Challenger” for three years in the Sheet Metal domain, as well as level “A” in the Airbus Industrial Process Capability Assessment (IPCA+) and has won the “Best Performer” award in the 2023 Airbus Supplier Quality Improvement Program (SQIP) awards.

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In line with the focus to expand its domestic and international footprint, Vistara will have 70 aircraft by the end of FY2024, thereby providing better connectivity and a wider network to its customers. Vistara currently operates over 300 daily flights, connecting 32 domestic and 18 international destinations.

Vistara’s fleet is not just one of the youngest in the industry but has also been recognized for its overall inflight experience which is at par with some of the biggest and best airlines in the world. The airline has always focussed on investment in modern aircraft with cutting-edge technology and fuel-efficient engines. Vistara has also been recognized with
ch-aviation Asia’s 3rd Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award 2023, for the second consecutive year, a testament to its efforts in this area.

Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The only Indian carrier to feature amongst World’s Top 20 Airlines, Vistara has been named ‘16th Best Airline’ globally while also being recognized as the ‘Best Airline in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row, ‘Best Airline Staff in India and South Asia’ for the fifth consecutive year, ‘Best Cabin Crew in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row and ‘Best Business Class Airline in India and South Asia’ for the second time in a row at the coveted World Airline Awards 2023 by Skytrax.

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PARIS: Air India has firmed up its order for 250 Airbus aircraft and selected an Airbus maintenance and digital package to power the airline’s transformation and growth strategy.

The aircraft order includes 140 A320neo and 70 A321neo single-aisle aircraft as well as 34 A350-1000 and six A350-900 wide-body jets. The airline had signed a Letter of Intent to acquire these aircraft in February 2023.

Air India will also be counting on Airbus to help ensure the highest level of fleet availability with the Integrated Materials Solutions (IMS) from Satair, an Airbus company. The Airbus-powered maintenance solution will ensure that every time the airline needs a rotatable or a consumable part, it is readily available and stocks are automatically replenished. And in its transformation and digitalization journey, Air India will be the launch customer for Airbus’ Skywise Core X3, the latest and most advanced aviation analytics platform. This once again demonstrates the avant-garde cooperation between Airbus and Air India.

The purchase agreements for the aircraft, as well as the Letters of Intent for maintenance and digital services, were signed in the presence of N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD of Air India, Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, and Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia at the Paris Air Show 2023.

Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, of Air India, said: “Our ambitious fleet renewal and expansion program will see Air India operate the most advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft across our route network within five years. We are proud to be working with all our partners, including Airbus, in this journey to rebuild a global airline which reflects India taking a more confident posture around the world.”

“We are excited to be a key partner in the renaissance of the Flying Maharaja. Under the leadership of the Tata Group and focused on new management, this is one of the most ambitious projects in the airline business today. We are proud that the efficiencies, comfort, and range capability offered by our latest generation aircraft will contribute to the process, as Air India reclaims its rightful position as a world-class premium carrier. The Airbus services package is a perfect future-oriented choice that will form a core element of Air India’s transformation,” said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International at Airbus.

The historic Air India order marks the entry into service of the A350 in India, the world’s fastest-growing aviation market. The all-new, long-range aircraft will help unlock the pent-up potential of India’s long-haul market, its technology, reach and second-to-none comfort enabling new routes and passenger experience with better economics and enhanced sustainability. Alongside the A350s, the A320 Family fleets will be the efficient, versatile asset to continue democratizing and decarbonizing air travel in India – from domestic, regional, up to international levels. Deliveries are set to commence with the first A350-900 before the end of 2023.

The A350 is the world’s most modern and efficient wide-body aircraft in the 300-410 seater category. The A350’s clean sheet design includes state-of-the-art technologies and aerodynamics delivering unmatched standards of efficiency and comfort. Its new-generation engines and use of lightweight materials deliver a 25 percent advantage in fuel burn, operating costs, and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions, compared to previous-generation competitor aircraft.

The aircraft offers a 3-class configuration cabin that is the quietest of any twin-aisle and offers passengers and crew the most modern in-flight products for the most comfortable long-range flying experience.

The A321neo is the longest-fuselage member of Airbus’ best-selling, single-aisle A320 Family, comfortably seating 180 to 220 passengers in a typical two-class layout, and as many as 244 in a higher-density arrangement. The A320neo has already set the standards as the world’s most comfortable short-to-medium-haul aircraft that typically accommodates from 140 to 170 passengers, with a maximum capacity of up to 180 travelers. Its environmental performance allows for at least 20 percent less fuel burn and CO2 emissions as well as 50 percent noise footprint reduction, compared to previous generation aircraft.

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