Indigo Places Order For 500 Planes With Airbus; Crosses Air India's Record

MUMBAI: No-frills airline IndiGo on Monday announced placing a firm order for 500 A320 family planes with European aviation major Airbus at the Paris Air Show. This is the largest ever aircraft order placed by any airline with Airbus, IndiGo said in a statement. Financial details of the order were not disclosed. The aircraft purchase agreement was signed between the airline and Airbus at the Paris Air Show 2023.

This (order) will provide IndiGo a further steady stream of deliveries between 2030 and 2035, the Gurugram-based airline said. Currently, IndiGo operates more than 300 aircraft. It has previous orders totalling 480 aircraft, which are yet to be delivered, as per the airline. This IndiGo order book comprises a mix of A320NEO, A321NEO and A321XLR aircraft, it said.

IndiGo aircraft order comes months after a rejuvenated Air India under Tata Group placed an order for 470 aircraft with the world's two top aircraft makers -- Boeing and Airbus. "IndiGo is further defining its long-term future, well into the next decade, by placing a firm order for 500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. This will provide IndiGo a further steady stream of deliveries between 2030 and 2035," the airline said.

The evaluation of the offers was shared and discussed with IndiGo's Board, and consequently endorsed. This new order will bring the strategic relationship between IndiGo and Airbus to an unprecedented depth and breadth, the company said. "We look forward to contributing to the growth of India's air connectivity in its domestic network and into international markets through the expansion of this formidable partnership," said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International at Airbus, in its release.

"It is difficult to overstate the significance of IndiGo's new historic order for 500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. An order book now of almost 1000 aircraft well into the next decade, enables IndiGo to fulfil its mission to continue to boost economic growth, social cohesion and mobility in India," an Airbus release quoted Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, as saying.

This order strongly reaffirms IndiGo's belief in the growth of India, in the A320 family and in our strategic partnership with Airbus, he added.
With this new order, since its inception in 2006, IndiGo has ordered a massive total of 1,330 aircraft with Airbus (so far). It noted that this 500 aircraft order is not only IndiGo's largest order but also the largest-ever single aircraft purchase by any airline with Airbus.

With this additional firm order of 500 aircraft for 2030-2035, IndiGo's order book has almost 1,000 aircraft yet to be delivered well into the next decade, the airline said. IndiGo, in its statement, said the fuel-efficient A320NEO Family aircraft will allow it to maintain its strong focus on lowering operating costs and delivering fuel efficiency with high standards of reliability.

The engine selection for this order will be done in due course and so will be the exact mix of A320 and A321 aircraft, according to IndiGo. With IndiGo's current fleet and the almost 1.000 aircraft yet to be delivered, IndiGo is not only well positioned to expand and densify its unparalleled network but equally important that IndiGo will execute its role in fully supporting fulfilling this mission, the airline said.