Air India Signs LOI for 470 Aircraft

Wed, 15 February 2023

	Media Services	Videos / Interviews	Podcasts	Pictures	Travel Industry News
Air India Signs LOI for 470 Aircraft

(15/02/23) Air India, part of the Tata Sons conglomerate, has signed letters of intent with Airbus and Boeing to acquire both widebody and single-aisle aircraft.

The LOI comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s widebody aircraft, as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft.

The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines, while the B777/787s will have engines from GE Aerospace. All the single-aisle aircraft will be powered by engines from CFM International.

Air India Boeing 787-8 reg: VT-ANQ. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

“India is on the verge of an international air travel revolution and we are honoured that our partnership with the Tatas and our aircraft solutions will write that new chapter for the country’s air-connectivity,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “The A350’s unique capability will unlock the pent-up potential of India’s long-haul market, its technology, long reach and second to none comfort will enable 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 democratising and decarbonising air travel in the country – from domestic, regional, up to international levels.”

The first of the new aircraft will enter service in late-2023, with the bulk to arrive from mid-2025 onwards. In the interim, Air India has already started taking delivery of 11 leased B777 and 25 A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network expansion.

The acquisition of new aircraft, which will come with an entirely new cabin interior, complements Air India’s plan to refit its existing widebody B787 and B777 aircraft with new seats and inflight entertainment systems. The first of these refitted aircraft will enter service in mid-2024.

“Air India's selection of Boeing's family of passenger jets shows their confidence in our products and services in the world's fastest growing aviation market, and their decision will support engineering and manufacturing jobs at Boeing factories in Washington state, South Carolina and across our supply base,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “With the industry-leading fuel efficiency of the 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner and 777X, Air India is well positioned to achieve its expansion plans and become a world-class global airline with an Indian heart.”

The Air India group currently comprises full-service Air India, as well as two low-cost subsidiaries Air India Express and Air Asia India which are in the process of merging.

Tata Sons also recently unveiled plans to merge Air India with full-service airline Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines in which the former holds a 51% share.

Subject to regulatory approval, the group will eventually comprise a single full-service airline, Air India, and a single low cost airline, Air India Express.

“Air India is on a large transformation journey across safety, customer service, technology, engineering, network and human resources. Modern, efficient fleet is a fundamental component of this transformation,” said N Chandrasekaran, Tata Sons and Air India Chairman. “This order is an important step in realising Air India’s ambition, articulated in its Vihaan.AI transformation program, to offer a world class proposition serving global travellers with an Indian heart. These new aircraft will modernise the airline’s fleet and onboard product, and dramatically expand its global network. The growth enabled by this order will also provide unparalleled career opportunities for Indian aviation professionals and catalyse accelerated development of the Indian aviation ecosystem.”

Latest videos: Noise Cancelling Ear Plugs for a Perfect Night's Sleep, Running Lights - Lumefit Premium 360° Reflective Vest Review, Steven Howard Outlines Travel News Asia's Video and Podcast Plans for 2023, Amari Watergate Bangkok - 4K Video Interview with Sukamal Mondal, Area GM.

Headlines:

World's Greatest Rugby Sevens Party Ready for Kick Off in Hong Kong Travelport Upgrades Travel Agency Retailing Platform with Smartpoint Cloud Sandy Liw Moves to Thailand as GM of InterContinental Khao Yai Resort Munich Airport Upgrades Car Rental Process with AI Scanning Tunnel Bonza Expands Flight Network in Australia Air Astana Increase Flights for Summer 2023 Schedule American Airlines Donates a Pratt & Whitney JT8D Engine to Aviation Institute of Maintenance PwC Study Finds Eurofighter Programme Will Secure 26,000 Jobs in Spain Until 2060 IHG Signs Third Holiday Inn Hotel in Amritsar, India Hong Kong Airport Reports Massive Surge in Passenger Numbers Sabre Partners Plan3 to Provide Airlines with Automated Disruption Management Solution Japan Airlines Orders 21 Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft James Sutcliffe Appointed GM of Avani+ Khao Lak Resort in Thailand Norse Atlantic Launches Flights Between Paris and New York, USA Thibaut Drege Moves to Budapest as GM of Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace British Airways Adds English Sparkling Wines to Business Class Experience Minor Opens First Oaks Hotel in China David Young Joins Accor Pacific as Chief Sustainability Officer and Director of ESG Vietnam Airlines Resumes Flights Between Da Nang and Tokyo Narita, Japan American Express Publishes Global Travel Trends Report for 2023 Antalya, Türkiye to Host Global Sustainable Tourism Council's Annual Conference in May China Southern and Xiamen Air to Operate Over 630,000 Flights During S23 Schedule Hawaiian Signs Deal with Gevo for 50 Million Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel American Airlines Raises US$1.1+ Million for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Marriott Opens Tallest Hotel in Australia - The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne Sabre Enhances Airline and Hotel Solutions with Capillary Technologies Marriott Signs Eight Hotels in Madinah, Saudi Arabia Bernard Hartzenberg Moves to Cambodian Jungle as Executive Chef of Shinta Mani Wild Bangkok and Pattaya Top Songkran 2023 Travel Searches on Airbnb CentaraThe1 Partners Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer IHG Signs Three Hotels in Egypt Finnair Buys 750 Tons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Neste Marriott Opens First Tribute Portfolio Resort in Seychelles Radisson Partners J7 Group for Two Hotels in Islamabad, Pakistan Adrian Pulido Appointed GM of Hyatt Regency Danang Four Seasons Promotes Shadi Suleman to Senior General Manager of Two Hotels in Qatar Malaysia Airlines Launches EnrichMoney Visa Prepaid Card and App TFE Hotels Expands Adina Brand to Geneva, Switzerland More Flights to Asia; LH's A380 Returns; and New Airline for Munich Airport This Summer Boeing Delivers First of Three 702MP+ Satellites to Viasat IHG Signs Kimpton Hotel in AWC's Mega Mixed-Use Aquatique Project in Pattaya, Thailand Minor Opens First Tivoli Hotel in Netherlands Hong Kong Airport to Implement Carbon Management Platform from SITA Accor Appoints Kerry Healy as CCO of Premium, Midscale & Economy Brands Stunning St. Regis Resort Opens in Kanai, Mexico IHG Signs 13 and Opens Two Holiday Inn Express Hotels in Europe Hahn Air Appoints Arsenio (Zen) Cabanilla Jr. as RVP Agency Distribution Air Canada to Launch Flights Between Montreal and Amsterdam, Netherlands Wyndham Signs First Cruise Ship Resort in Asia Pacific Virgin Australia Implements Sabre's Revenue Optimizer and Dynamic Availability Solutions Australia's First Le Méridien Hotel Opens in Melbourne Preecha Yarangwong Joins Holiday Inn & Suites Siracha Laemchabang as GM Thai Airways Extends Validity of Expiring Royal Orchid Plus Miles Marriott Signs Three Resorts on Sindalah Island, Saudi Arabia Employees of Delta and Korean Air Make a Difference in Calauan, Philippines Boeing Forecasts Increased Growth for Aircraft Finance in 2023 Two Saudi Arabia-Based Airlines Sign Deals for Up To 121 Boeing 787 Dreamliners Qantas Frequent Flyers Can Now Use Points on All China Airlines Flights Cebu Pacific to Launch Direct Flights Between Clark and Seoul, South Korea Yotel Signs First Pad Outside America Jetstar Asia to Change Terminal at Changi Airport on 22 March Lauren Hobart and Grant Reid Appointed Independent Directors of Marriott William Haandrikman Appointed MD of Two Accor Hotels in Singapore Norwegian Air Ambulance Orders Two More Airbus H145 EMS Helicopters Parkroyal Langkawi Resort Becomes Pan Pacific's 5th Hotel in Malaysia Sabre Ancillary IQ to Help GOL Airlines Expand Revenue Streams Hong Kong Airlines Now Operating Flights to Beijing's PEK and PKX Airports Paul Stocker Joins Minor Hotels as Vice President of Operations for Southeast Asia Idemia Launches Two New Biometric Solutions Finnair Reaches Agreement with Cabin Crew Lufthansa Partners SITA to Digitally Automate Baggage Re-Flight Operations Elbit Systems Partners Nippon Aircraft Supply and Itochu Aviation Westin Returns to Manila, Philippines Thailand's Onyx Hospitality Outlines Regional Expansion Plans Accor Opens 29th Hotel in Singapore Vietnam Airlines Increases Flights to India; Mulls Mumbai Service Hong Kong Airlines to Launch Flights to Fukuoka, Japan; Resume Bali and Shanghai China Airlines to Launch Direct Flights Between Taipei and Prague, Czech Republic ATR Appoints Bernard Marquez as Head of Quality SunExpress to Expand Network with 26 New Routes Mandarin Oriental to Open Stunning Luxury Resort in Costa Navarino, Greece Global Air Traffic Increased by 67% in January 2023 Bangladeshi Airline Air Astra Signs Distribution Agreement with Sabre Accor Signs Fairmont Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa U-Tapao Airport Near Pattaya, Thailand Signs MOU with HKIA Consultancy Norwegian Cruise Line Publishes 2024/25 Itineraries Hi Fly Expands Fleet with an Airbus A330-200 Elbit Systems to Showcase Products at DSEI Japan 2023 Mandarin Oriental Singapore Closes for Major Renovation IATA Reports Decline in Global Air Cargo Demand Qatar Airways to Resume Flights to Phnom Penh and 10 Other Destinations Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines Orders 15 Boeing 737-9 Aircraft Finnair Becomes First European Airline to Distribute NDC Content Through Sabre Thai Airways Confirms Summer Flight Schedule Scandinavian Airlines Appoints Jason Mahoney as COO THC Takes Delivery of First ACH160 Sixth Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Japan to Open in June Radisson Signs Thailand's First Red Hotel Gérard Pélisson, Co-Founder of Accor, Passes Away One of the World's Longest and Most Advanced Metro Lines Now Fully Operational Capital A Appoints CEO and CFO of airasia Digital Michael McCartan Joins IDeaS as Area Vice President - EMEA Undisclosed Customer in India Orders Two ACH160 Helicopters Elbit Systems Sells 120th Hermes 900 Medium-Range Long-Altitude UAV Marriott Signs Deal with AWC for First Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Phuket, Thailand Los Pumas and Black Ferns Win Canada Sevens Gold; HK7s Pools Confirmed Five Executive Appointments at Marriott Kempinski Hotels to Implement Shiji's Infrasys Cloud POS Julia Selyukova Joins Four Seasons Doha as Hotel Manager Moomintroll and Snorkmaiden Feature on Special Finnair 100 Aircraft Livery Avia Solutions Moves HQ to Dublin, Ireland Bhasskaran Nimmala Joins Sublime Samui Villas as Asset Manager Asia Pacific's Airlines Carried 17.2 Million International Passengers in January Minor Hotels' Sixth Resort in Maldives to Open in April UK Approves Korean Air's Merger with Asiana Airlines Sabre Appoints Kurt Ekert as CEO Marisa Fernandes Appointed GM of Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti airasia Super App Launches Restaurant Queuing Service in Bangkok, Thailand SAS Signs Sale and Leaseback Agreements with ACG for 10 A320neos First Fairmont Hotel in Thailand to Open in 2024 Historic Hotel on Lake Como to Become First Ritz-Carlton Resort in Italy Four Seasons Expands Private Seaplane Fleet with Flying Boxfish Accor Pacific to Certify All Hotels, Apartments and Resorts as Sustainable Tourism Businesses Philippine Air Force Signs Services Agreement with Embraer for A-29 Super Tucano Qatar Airways Launches Advertising Campaign with Indian Actress Deepika Padukone Executive Club Members Can Now Spend Avios on British Airways Holidays Boeing to Develop Two New Variants of E-7 Airborne Early Warning & Control Aircraft The Regent Hong Kong Accepting Room Reservations Following Major Renovation Radisson Takes Over Resort in Cha-Am, Thailand Jin Air Signs Distribution Agreement with Sabre Hotels in Tokyo Report Strong Rebound in ADR Norse Adds Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D.C. to Schedule from LGW Four Seasons Silicon Valley Appoints Daniel Garcia as Executive Chef Egyptair Takes Delivery of First A321neo Boeing Partners Łukasiewicz Institute of Aviation in Poland Cathay Pacific Giving Away 80,000 Return Air Tickets Ascott Opens 7th Citadines in Singapore Korean Air Produces Cosmetic Pouches from Retired Life Vests SalamAir Launches Flights to Mashhad, Iran; Will Launch Kazakhstan Service in July VFS Global Reports 576% Increase in Visa Applications in Thailand Cambodia to Host Mekong Tourism Forum 2023 in April New Zealand Beat Argentina to Win Los Angeles Sevens Boeing May End Production of F/A-18 Super Hornet Fighter Jets in 2025 Scoot Outlines Network Expansion Plans; Will Suspend Gold Coast Service in July Thai Airways Testing Biometric Check-In Solution at Suvarnabhumi Airport Qatar Airways Becomes F1's Global Partner, Official Airline and Title Sponsor of Three Grand Prix Saba Landmann Joins Marriott as SVP Global Brand and Portfolio PR Fanny Guibouret Moves to Japan as GM of Four Seasons Kyoto Christian Zunk Appointed Group GM of MUU Hotels & Resorts Virgin Atlantic to Suspend Flights to Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan Phenom 300 Named World's Best-Selling Light Jet for 11th Consecutive Year Dusit Preparing to Open First Two Hotels in Japan Kempinski Hotels Upgrades Booking Experience with Sabre SynXis IHG Signs Sixth Hotel Indigo in London, England Air Canada Launches Facial Recognition Trial at YVR and YYZ Dao by Dorsett Signs Grade II Listed Building in Crouch End, North London United Airlines Ventures Launches Sustainable Flight Fund BCD Travel Expands Partnership with Amadeus Dassault Falcon Unveils Cities to Host M&O Tour 2023 IHG to Take Over 53-Year Old Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand Scoot Signs LOI for Nine Embraer E190-E2 Aircraft Franck Droin Moves to Macau as GM of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Air Astana Reports Record Numbers Koh Samui, Thailand to Host International Beach Volleyball Tournament in March IHG Signs Two Beach Resorts in Phuket, Thailand Thai AirAsia Resumes Bangkok - Macau Flights DSV Partners SAS Corporate Sustainability Program Sabre Hospitality Expands Footprint in China with Tian Xia Fang Cang Partnership Hong Kong Airlines to Operate Flights to Both PEK and PKX Airports in Beijing Marina Bay Sands Becomes Largest Hotel in Singapore to be GSTC-Certified Virgin Atlantic Implements Accelya's FLX Cargo Platform Hong Kong Airport Reports Strong Passenger Growth Four Seasons Chiang Mai Appoints Ashok Nair as Director of Rooms and Residences Marriott Opens Dual-Branded Hotel in Salt Lake City, USA Boeing Orders 5.6 Million Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Routes Asia 2024 to Take Place in Langkawi, Malaysia Amex GBT Renews Technology Agreement with Amadeus Airbus Appoints Thomas Toepfer as CFO Air India Resumes Mumbai - JFK Flights Jetstar to Resume Flights Between Cairns and Newcastle Hydrogen Consortium to Support New Zealand's Sustainable Aviation Goals Wyndham Destinations Appoints Marta Grutka as Director of PR & Communications - Asia bp enters South Korea Offshore Wind Market Air India Signs LOI for 470 Aircraft Tourism Australia Signs 3-Year Marketing Agreement with Singapore Airlines Air Astana to Increase Almaty - Beijing; Resume Astana - Beijing Flights Destination NSW Appoints Samar Chokshi as Country Manager - India Norse Atlantic Opens Ticket Sales on Two New Routes from London Gatwick IHG Opens First Vignette Collection Hotel in the Americas JetBlue Extends Partnership with Sabre Artificial Intelligence Flies Lockheed Martin VISTA X-62A for 17 Hours Hotels in Bangkok Report Near-Record ADR Jetstar to Increase Capacity Between Adelaide and Bali, Indonesia Le Meridien Bangkok Creates Room Category with Round Beds VFS Global Opens Fourth Mobile UK Visa Application Centre in Bangkok, Thailand All Nippon Airways Expands Distribution Agreement with Amadeus AirAsia Malaysia Expands Flights to China Centara Appoints Pornchanok Thongrungrot as Corporate Public Relations Director British Airways and Airlink to Codeshare Marriott Signs Luxury Hotel and Executive Apartments in Suzhou, China British Airways to Resume Flights to Mainland China in April Singapore and Vietnam Airlines to Explore Codeshare Flights Thai Airways to Operate 14 Flights Per Week to Mainland China in March Sabre to Share Latest Travel Industry Trends at ITB Berlin 2023 Oetker Collection Appoints Imelda Shllaku as GM of Hotel La Palma in Capri, Italy ASM Global Appoints Beverley Parker as Director of Marketing - Asia Pacific Scandinavian Airlines Launches CPH - JFK Flights HKRU Opens Public Ticket Sales for Hong Kong Sevens 2023 Centara Signs First Hotel in Japan Noise Cancelling Ear Plugs for a Perfect Night's Sleep Steven Howard Outlines Travel News Asia's Video and Podcast Plans for 2023 Amari Watergate Bangkok - 4K Video Interview with Sukamal Mondal, Area GM Business Travel Trends in Asia Pacific - Video Interview with Brett Thorstad, Sabre Pictures from Miss International Queen 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand HD Video Interviews from Miss International Queen 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand Is Siam Seaplane Ready for Take Off? Interview with Dennis Keller, Chief Business Officer HD Videos and Interviews Podcasts from HD Video Interviews RSS Feed - Travel Industry News Ticker - Travel Industry News Travel Industry News Archives Travel Trade Shows High-Res Picture Galleries Travel News Asia - Latest Travel Industry News

Subscribe to our Travel Industry News RSS Feed . To do that in Outlook, right-click the RSS Feeds folder, select Add a New RSS Feed, enter the URL of our RSS Feed which is: https://www.travelnewsasia.com/travelnews.xml and click Add. The feed can also be used to add the headlines to your website or channel via a customisable applet. Have questions? Please read our Travel News FAQ. Thank you.

Latest Travel Trade News

Advertising

Advertise Here