Airbus secures a historic agreement with IndiGo for the supply of 500 A320 series aircraft.
IndiGo, India's leading low-cost carrier, has made waves in the global aviation industry with a record-breaking order for 500 Airbus A320 family planes. This landmark deal, signed during the Paris Air Show 2023, cements IndiGo's position as one of the world's fastest-growing airlines and underscores its commitment to expanding air travel accessibility within India and key regional markets.
The unprecedented order, which outdoes Air India's 470 aircraft order with Airbus and Boeing earlier this year, represents the biggest contract by volume ever placed in the industry. This move underscores IndiGo's unmatched growth ambitions and dominant position in the market.
The order will significantly expand IndiGo’s narrow-body fleet capacity, enabling it to cater to a surging demand for air travel. This expansion supports IndiGo’s strategy of democratizing air travel in India by increasing accessibility and frequency.
The strategic relationship between IndiGo and Airbus is set to reach new heights, with the airline set to become one of Airbus's top three global customers. This substantial backlog is driving Airbus to ramp up production to pre-pandemic levels of 60 A320 family planes per month, with ambitions to increase to 75 by 2027.
Moreover, every commercial Airbus aircraft flying forward will have partial Indian manufacturing content, highlighting India’s growing role as an industrial hub in the aerospace supply chain. The scale of IndiGo's order book is a strong signal of India’s rising importance in global aviation, helping cement its position as one of the largest aviation markets worldwide and encouraging investment in infrastructure and aerospace manufacturing sectors domestically.
While the 500 A320 family planes focus on short- and medium-haul routes, IndiGo is simultaneously expanding its long-haul fleet with additional Airbus A350 orders to step up its international presence, indicating a comprehensive growth strategy across markets and aircraft types.
IndiGo's modern fleet has led to a 21% reduction in CO2 emissions between FY16 and FY23, demonstrating the airline's commitment to environmental sustainability. The A320NEO family of aircraft aligns with IndiGo's focus on lowering operational expenses.
Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, stated that the recent order of 500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft is significant, reaffirming IndiGo's unwavering faith in Airbus and its strategic partnership. The new order will ensure a consistent flow of deliveries for IndiGo between 2030 and 2035, enabling the airline to sustain its growth for several years to come.
IndiGo presently operates a fleet of over 300 aircraft, and the new order will increase its orderbook to nearly 1000 aircraft. A decision on the engine selection and the precise combination of A320 and A321 planes will be made in due course.
IndiGo is proud to be India's preferred airline for connectivity and is committed to continuing its leading position in the global aviation industry. The airline aims to extend its growth trajectory and serve as a driving force for the nation by welcoming an estimated 100 million passengers this year. Its mission is to promote economic growth, social cohesion, and mobility in India.
IndiGo's unwavering faith in Airbus and its strategic partnership is further emphasized by the recent order of 500 Airbus A320 Family planes, which will allow the airline to expand its international presence with the addition of Airbus A350 aircraft, indicating a comprehensive growth strategy across markets and aircraft types.
To support this global expansion, IndiGo's modern lifestyle is centered around travel, with sports playing an integral role as the airline aims to promote economic growth, social cohesion, and mobility within India and beyond.
