Air India said to be carrier behind mystery 85-jet Airbus order

An Airbus SE A350-900 passenger aircraft, operated by Air India Ltd., day two of the Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, UK, on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. The aviation summit is typically a platform for planemakers to rack up multibillion-dollar deals.

Airbus SE received an order for an additional 85 planes from Air India Ltd., according to people familiar with the matter, as the carrier looks to accelerate its growth ambitions in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets.

The order for 75 A320neos single-aisle family aircraft and 10 A350 wide-body jets was placed in September, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private, and Air India may announce it at a later date.

Airbus, in its latest order and delivery report published Wednesday, disclosed that it had delivered 50 aircraft in September and booked 235 orders from customers, including 85 from an undisclosed buyer.

Representatives for Air India didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Airbus declined to comment.

Tata Group-owned Air India is in the midst of a complicated process of absorbing Vistara, a joint venture carrier the Tata Group started with Singapore Airlines Ltd., and has been ordering new jets as it seeks to grab a bigger share of India’s booming domestic, and robust outbound, markets.

It announced the purchase of 470 aircraft from Airbus and US rival Boeing Co. in February 2023, including 250 jets from the European planemaker. The deal represented what was then the largest purchase in commercial aviation history.

Within India, Air India is up against local leader IndiGo, while the powerful Gulf carriers that have built a business ferrying Indians overseas through their mega hubs represent its biggest international competitors.