By Vineet Dikshit

NewsGate Press Network

This is considered as a biggest ever deal in the aviation industry Air India to buy 250 aircrafts from Airbus.

This was announced on Tuesday the 14th of February 2023 by Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran stating Air India has signed a letter of intent to acquire 250 aircraft from Airbus. It will include 40 wide-body A350 planes and 210 narrow-body aircraft.

This is the first time in more than 17 years that Air India has placed an aircraft order. It is also the first order placed by the carrier under the ownership of Tata Group.

During a virtual event being attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others, Chandrasekaran said the wide-body planes will be used for ultra-long haul flights.

The commercial flights that fly a little over 16 hours are categorized as ultra-long haul flights.

The last such big order by the Air India was in the year 2005 when the airline had acquired 111 planes — 68 from Boeing and 43 from Airbus.

That deal was worth USD 10.8 billion.

Modi expressed gratitude to the French President for participating in the launch of the Air India-Airbus partnership. He said that the deal shows the “deepening ties” between India and France and reflection of India’s successes and expectations in the civil aviation sector.
In his remarks, PM Modi said, “I would like to express my heartiest congratulations and best wishes on this landmark agreement between Air India and Airbus. My special thanks to my friend President Macron for joining us in this event.”
“This important deal not only demonstrates the ever-deepening relations between India and France. But, are also reflections of India’s successes and expectations in the civil aviation sector,” he added.