India’s largest airline by market share, IndiGo, have placed an order for 500 A320 Family aircraft. This order sets the record for the biggest single purchase agreement in the history of commercial aviation. This agreement has taken the total number of Airbus aircraft on order by IndiGo to 1,330 which has established IndiGo as the world’s largest A320 Family customer.
This purchase agreement was signed by Rahul Bhatia, Promoter & Managing Director of IndiGo, Dr. Venkataramani Sumantran, Chairman and Non-Executive Independent Director of IndiGo, Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, at the Paris Air Show 2023.
“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.”
Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo
“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.”
Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International at Airbus.
IndiGo, whom are based in New Delhi, are one of the fastest growing low-cost carriers in the world. Their first A320neo aircraft was delivered in March 2016 and they have continued to grow their A320neo Family fleet with 264 aircraft in operation. IndiGo placed their first Airbus order in 2005 and then further orders in 2011, 2014 and 2019 which took their previous total order book to 830 A320 Family aircraft.
The A320neo has been key in democratising India’s air travel over the last two decades in line with the expanding economy and rising disposable incomes which has created millions of first time flyers.
The A320 Family is the uncontested worldwide leader in the single-aisle aircraft category. The aircraft have the widest single aisle cabin that incorporates the very latest technologies. They feature enhanced aerodynamics and the latest-generation jet engines, which results in significant reductions in fuel consumption and lower emissions. The aircraft family of choice for airlines around the globe with more than 8,700 orders from 130 customers.
News sourced from Airbus
