IndiGo, a low-cost airline, has made a groundbreaking 500 aircraft order (Airbus A320 family), surpassing Air India’s previous order of 470 planes from Airbus and Boeing earlier this year. This deal, according to IndiGo, represents the largest single aircraft purchase ever made by an airline from Airbus, solidifying its position as the world’s largest customer of the A320 Family. The engine selection and the specific combination of A320 and A321 planes will be determined at a later date, as mentioned by the airline.
Paris Airshow 2023 Orders
The purchase agreement was officially signed on June 19 during the Paris Air Show 2023, with top officials from both IndiGo and Airbus in attendance. In addition to this latest order, IndiGo’s order-book now stands at nearly a 1000 aircraft, when combined with their previous order of 480 planes. The airline expects to receive a continuous flow of deliveries between 2030 and 2035, further reinforcing its fleet.
Presently, IndiGo operates a fleet of over 300 aircraft, consisting of A320NEO, A321NEO, and A321XLR models.
“This new order cements the deep and wide-ranging relationship between IndiGo and Airbus. Since its establishment in 2006, IndiGo has placed an astounding total of 1,330 aircraft orders with Airbus,” stated the airline.
The fuel-efficient A320NEO family aircraft will enable IndiGo to focus on reducing operational costs and achieving fuel efficiency while maintaining high reliability standards. The young and fuel-efficient fleet aligns with IndiGo’s sustainability goals, building upon the already achieved 21% reduction in CO2 emissions between FY16 and FY23.
Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, emphasised that this order, which brings the airline’s order-book close to 1,000 aircraft for the next decade, reinforces their commitment to boost economic growth, social cohesion, and mobility in India. Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International at Airbus, expressed excitement about this significant order, highlighting the partnership’s contribution to affordable air travel in India, a rapidly expanding aviation market.
