INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: Air India has lastly unveiled its extensive improvement strategy to once again develop itself as a world-class international
airline company with mega 470 aircraft deal
In what is being described as the largest purchase in commercial aviation history, Air India on Tuesday revealed a combined purchases of 470
aircraft from Airbus and Boeing
According to sources priced quote by PTI, the offer would cost the airline a massive $80 billion
For many years, Air India was under the ownership of the federal government
In January 2022, the ownership returned into the hands of its original owner, the Tata Group.Few months into the acquisition, the
conglomerate had already developed a strategy under brand-new CEO Campbell Wilson to revamp its fleet and increase market share over the
next 5 years with an eye on sustaining development, profitability and market management
The offers consist of 220 aircrafts from Boeing and 250 airplanes from Airbus
The record order intends to put Air India in the league of big worldwide airline companies and make it an influential customer for
planemakers and providers at a time when its home market is seeing a strong post-Covid travel surge.According to Air India, the first of the
brand-new aircraft will go into service in late 2023 and the bulk of the airplanes are to get here from mid-2025 onwards
In the interim, Air India has currently started taking delivery of 11 rented B777 and 25 A320 aircraft to accelerate its fleet and network
expansion, it said.Mega announcementsThe Air India-Airbus offer was announced in a virtual satisfy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
French President Emmanuel Macron
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, chairman emeritus Ratan Tata, among others were also present at the announcement
The $34 billion worth offer with Boeing was revealed by the United States President Joe Biden in an official statement launched by the White
House.The Boeing offer marks the United States aircraft makers third-largest sale of all time, in dollar worth, and its second of all time
The order includes 190 737 Max airplane, 20 of its 787s, and 10 of its 777Xs
There is also consumer options for an extra 50 737 MAXs and 20 of its 787s, which would make it 290 airplanes for a total of $45.9 billion
at list price.On the other hand, France-based Airbus will supply Air India 40 wide-body A350 Airbus airplane and another 210 narrow-body
However, it has not divulged monetary regards to the deal
Tata Sons chairman Chandrasekaran said the A350s will be utilized to fly all ultra far away around the world
Single-aisle A320s are usually utilized on short-haul paths
He said the airline has significant choices to increase its order.Landmark offer, states PM ModiStating the Air India-Airbus agreement to
be a landmark offer , PM Modi stated it reflects the deepening ties between India and France, in addition to the successes and aspirations
of Indias civil aviation sector.He also stated Indias growing air travel sector would require over 2,000 aircraft in the next 15 years
Our civil aviation sector is an important part of Indias advancement
Enhancing the civil aviation sector is a crucial element of our national facilities policy, he said.In a tweet, Modi said, I thank my
friend @EmmanuelMacron for joining me at the launch of a crucial collaboration between @airindiain and @Airbus that will even more
strengthen the Indian air travel sector and create opportunities in both countries
This reflects the robust Indo-French Strategic Partnership
On the deal with Boeing, PM Modi spoke to US President Joe Biden and described the Air India-Boeing deal to be a shining example of equally
useful cooperation that will assist develop new job opportunity in both countries.Prime Minister Modi had a warm and efficient phone call
with United States President Biden, a statement provided by the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) said.The 2 leaders revealed complete
satisfaction at the deepening of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which has resulted in robust development in all
domains, the PMO said.Both PM Modi and President Biden invited the announcement of the landmark contract in between Air India and Boeing as
a shining example of mutually advantageous cooperation that will help produce new employment opportunities in both countries , the
statement said.Macron calls it a milestoneFrance President Emmanuel Macron said Air Indias handle Airbus for the acquisition of 250 aircraft
was among the milestones of the in-depth strategic and friendly partnership in between India and France
This accomplishment reveals that Airbus and its partners, including Safran, are completely dedicated to establish new areas of cooperation
with India and we have accomplished a lot with India in a vast array of sectors from space to cyber, from defence to culture, from health to
energy transition, he said.The French President said Airbus was contributing to the outstanding development of India and the new 250
airplanes which will be delivered to Air India will be one more step in this instructions
There is a deep commitment in France to offer state-of-the-art and the most effective technologies available to India and to be part of the
Made in India strategy, he said.Joe Biden hails mega dealUS President Joe Biden also hailed the offer between Air India and Boeing and
stated it shows the strength of the US-India economic partnership
The Boeing purchase will support over 1 million American jobs across 44 states, and numerous will not require a four-year college degree,
Later in a call with PM Modi, Biden welcomed the landmark announcement.He also congratulated on the very first meeting of the effort on
Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) held recently in Washington DC, and expressed an eager desire to enhance bilateral cooperation in
area, semi-conductors, supply chains, defence co-production and co-development and knowledge and development communities, the PMO said.They
accepted bolster the dynamic people-to-people ties between the 2 nations, which have actually been equally advantageous, it said.The two
Leaders agreed to stay in contact throughout Indias continuous G20 Presidency to ensure its success, the statement stated.Historic moment
for India, says Airbus CEO Today is a historic minute for India, for Air India and for Airbus, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said in the call
The size of the order demonstrates the appetite for development in the Indian aviation industry
Its the fastest growing worldwide
Remi Maillard, president and handling director of Airbus India and South Asia, stated the business was extremely happy that the Tata Group
has actually picked A350 and A320 aircrafts for Air India, including that the magnitude of the order reveals the appetite for development in
the Indian air travel industry, which is the fastest growing aviation market
A320 neo is the poster child of democratisation and improvement of the business aviation market in India
This Air India order marks the emphatic return of Airbus in the wide-body market in India
It is a recognition of the A350 management position in the wide-body market, he informed PTI in an interview.Currently, around 470 business
aircraft of Airbus remain in service in India
With the most recent order from Air India, the total order book of Airbus for India will be around 850 planes.Order positioned for 800 LEAP
enginesGE Aerospace stated it has actually signed a handle Air India for the largest LEAP engine order of more than 800 LEAP engines for the
airline companys orders of 400 Airbus and Boeing single-aisle aircraft.Besides, GE Aerospace has an order for 40 GEnx-1B and 20 GE9X engines
in addition to multi-year engine services contract with respect to 20 Boeing 787 and 10 Boeing 777X aircraft
Air India likewise revealed a CFM order for more than 800 LEAP engines, the biggest LEAP order ever, to power its entire narrow-body
purchase of 210 Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft and 190 Boeing 737 MAX-family aircraft
The announcement consists of a multi-year CFM services agreement, it stated in a release.Transformational journeyTata Sons and Air India
Chairman N Chandrasekaran stated the airline is on a large improvement journey across safety, customer care, innovation, engineering,
network and human resources
This order is an essential action in understanding Air Indias aspiration, articulated in its Vihaan.AI improvement programme, to offer a
first-rate proposition serving global travellers with an Indian heart
These new aircraft will modernise the airlines fleet and onboard item, and dramatically expand its global network, he said.The airline,
which was piloted by industrialist JRD Tata in 1932, had actually ended up being a loss-making entity under government ownership
It was nationalised in 1953 and split into domestic and international carrier
In March 2018, the government planned to sell a managing stake, along with approximately $5.1 billion of the providers financial obligation
The proposal got delayed multiple times
It was even shelved few months later on due to lack of bidders
Finally, after many efforts, federal government offered 100% stake to Tata Group for a bid of Rs 18,000 crore ($2.1 billion) in January 2022
Tata in November last year announced the merger of Air India with Vistara, a joint endeavor with Singapore Airlines, to seal Air India as
Indias largest global provider and second biggest in the domestic market after IndiGo.(With inputs from companies)
