Categories: Travel

IndiGo places order for 30 Airbus wide-body aircraft, ET TravelWorld

Charting ambitious future as global aviation leader, India’s largest airline in terms of operations and fleet-size, IndiGo has taken a bold steps to redefine its long-term trajectory by introducing wide-body aircraft into its fleet. Since its inception in 2006, IndiGo has steadily solidified its position in the aviation industry and is now poised to make significant strides towards becoming a global aviation player.

The airline has recently finalised an order for 30 Firm A350-900 aircraft, signaling a strategic move to broaden its reach and expand its network across various Indian metros to connect with global destinations. These aircraft, equipped with Rolls Royce’s Trent XWB engine, offer IndiGo unmatched versatility as it navigates the evolving needs of Indian travellers and the nation’s aviation sector.

IndiGo’s current fleet boasts over 350 aircraft, and in June 2023, the airline placed a record-breaking order for 500 aircraft with Airbus, comprising A320NEO, A321NEO, and A321XLR models. With nearly 1,000 A320 Family aircraft yet to be delivered, this new order cements IndiGo’s strategic partnership with Airbus and marks the beginning of a promising collaboration with Rolls Royce.

The delivery of the 30 Firm A350-900 aircraft is scheduled to commence in 2027, with Purchase Rights for an additional 70 Airbus A350 Family aircraft, providing flexibility for future expansion. This significant milestone reflects IndiGo’s commitment to sustaining its rapid growth trajectory and reinforcing its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines.

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Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo expressed enthusiasm about this historic achievement, highlighting its transformative impact on the airline’s future and the Indian aviation landscape. He emphasised IndiGo’s role in shaping India’s aviation leadership aspirations and reiterated the airline’s dedication to fostering connectivity and growth within the country.”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,” he mentioned.Airbus also confirmed that IndiGo has agreed to place an order for 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft. They said this will help expand IndiGo’s international network to long-haul destinations.

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales, Commercial Aircraft, said, “This is an exciting new chapter in our close partnership with IndiGo. The airline has revolutionised Indian domestic air travel with the A320neo Family by making flying more accessible to more people. With the A350 selection, Indigo is now embarking on further opening the world to India. We will support the airline to take this pioneering and strategic step. A big thank you to the IndiGo team for putting their trust in Airbus once again.”

Looking ahead, IndiGo is poised to host a conference call on Tuesday, April 30, signaling a continued focus on transparency and stakeholder engagement as it embarks on this transformative journey towards global aviation prominence.