Aerospace

India’s IndiGo places record order for 500 A320 Family aircraft

By placing a definitive order for 500 A320 Family aircraft, IndiGo, the largest airline in India by market share, broke the previous record for the largest single purchase agreement in commercial aviation. With the most recent arrangement, IndiGo has now placed orders for 1,330 Airbus aircraft, making it the largest A320 Family client in the world.

At the Paris Air Show 2023, Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, Rahul Bhatia, Promoter & Managing Director of IndiGo, Dr Venkataramani Sumantran, Chairman and Non-Executive Independent Director of IndiGo, Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, and Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International of Airbus, signed the historic purchase agreement.

Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, said, “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. At IndiGo, we take pride in being India’s preferred airline for connectivity in and with India; and by doing so, being one of the leading airlines in the world. This order strongly reaffirms IndiGo’s belief in the growth of India, in the A320 Family and in our strategic partnership with Airbus.”

“This landmark order marks a new chapter in Airbus and IndiGo’s relationship that is democratising affordable air travel for millions of people in the world’s fastest growing aviation market. It is also a resounding endorsement of the A320 Family’s best-in-class operating economics that have been powering IndiGo’s growth for almost two decades. We cherish our long-standing relationship with IndiGo and are proud of our success together. 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.

One of the airlines with the fastest global growth is IndiGo, which has its headquarters in New Delhi. Since receiving its first A320neo aircraft in March 2016, it has built its A320neo Family fleet to become one of the largest in the world, with 264 aircraft currently in service (162 A320neo, 79 A321neo, 21 A320ceo, and 2 A321 freighters). In 2005, IndiGo placed its first order with Airbus (100 A320 Family), followed by additional orders in 2011, 180 A320 Family (including the NEO), 250 Neo Family, and 300 Neo Family in 2019, bringing its total order book to 830 A320 Family aircraft.

The A320neo has played a significant role in democratising air travel in India over the past 20 years as an increasing economy and rising disposable incomes continue to bring millions of new passengers to a booming aviation sector.

The A320 Family is without a doubt the market leader for single-aisle aircraft on a global scale. The aeroplane features the most modern technology and the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky. It has improved aerodynamics and the most recent jet engines, which lead to significant fuel consumption and pollution reductions. The A320neo Family is the aircraft family of choice for airlines worldwide across all business models, with more than 8,700 orders from over 130 customers.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.