Air India, as a part of its transformational journey, is said to have placed another order of 85 Airbus aircraft, as per sources. The latest order of 85 jets includes 75 Airbus A320-family jets, designed for short- to medium-haul flights, and 10 long-haul A350 aircraft.

This new order comes on the backdrop of the $70 billion huge order placed by Air India last year, consisting of 34 A350-1000, six A350-900, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and 10 Boeing 777X widebody aircraft, as well as 140 Airbus A320neo, 70 Airbus A321neo, and 190 Boeing 737MAX narrow body aircraft, marking a total of 470 jets.

Airbus has confirmed that an unnamed customer had placed the order, while sources have identified Air India as the potential buyer. Experts believe that Air India might place another top-up order with Boeing, further bolstering Air India’s expanding fleet.

Air India was not immediately available to comment on the deal.

Ironically, Airbus’s announcement of the order came just before TATA Group revealed the passing of former chairman Ratan Tata. Meanwhile, Airbus too declined to comment on the specific details of the deal; the announcement underscores the importance of this ongoing partnership.

This additional order is seen as part of Air India’s broader strategy to modernise its fleet and compete more effectively with other major airlines on both domestic and international routes. The acquisition of new planes, particularly the long-haul A350s, will help Air India strengthen its presence in international markets, while the A320-family jets will enhance its capacity on regional routes.

Air India has been undergoing a major transformation since being acquired by the Tata conglomerate, with significant investments in upgrading its operations and fleet.

The new order might look miniscule in front of the humongous 470-deal order but looks like the airline is absorbing as much capacity as it can in an attempt to undo the lost opportunity in the last. As of now, Air India has a fleet of 140 aircraft, including 60 widebodies—777, 787, and A350s. In about a month’s time, Air India will take Vistara into its fold with a fleet of 70 aircraft, including 6 787-9 aircraft of its own.

(With Inputs From International News Agencies)