Tata’s Air India Seals Historic Jumbo Plane Order, Setting New Standard for Aviation Industry

Air India, the storied airline with a long and colorful history, is undergoing a major overhaul under its new owners, the Tata Group. After months of negotiations, the airline is poised to seal a massive order for nearly 500 jets on Friday, a move that signals the carrier’s intent to compete with much larger rivals.

The order will include 190 Boeing 737 MAX narrow-body planes as well as some 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777X. The second half of the order is expected to include around 235 Airbus single-aisle jets and about 40 Airbus A350 widebody aircraft. Senior Boeing, GE, and CFM officials are expected in India to mark the deal.

The order marks the beginning of a new chapter for Air India, one that seeks to restore its reputation at home and abroad as a world-class airline with impeccable service and modern planes. The airline has put back in service nearly 20 aircraft that had been grounded for years due to lack of parts and money and has said it will spend over $400 million to refurbish its entire legacy wide-body fleet.

Domestic passenger air traffic in India is on the rise, growing 47% in 2022 from a year ago. Air India is aiming to corner 30% of the domestic air travel market over the next five years, which would narrow the gap with market leader IndiGo. It also wants to increase its current share of international travel by “multiples”.

Air India faces an uphill battle to regain its place in the market, as it will have to compete with both local and international rivals. It will need to match the quality of the fleet and service offered by competitors such as the Gulf carriers before it can hope to reclaim its share of the market. Nonetheless, the massive jet order is a sign that Air India is confident it can make a comeback.