IndiGo’s historic firm 500 A320 aircraft order underlines India’s global ambition

 By Sade Williams/Business a.m.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, has set the record for the biggest single purchase agreement in the history of commercial aviation placing a firm order for 500 A320 Family aircraft.

The latest agreement takes the total number of Airbus aircraft on order by IndiGo to 1,330, establishing its position as the world’s biggest A320 Family customer.

The historic purchase agreement was signed by Rahul Bhatia, promoter and managing director of IndiGo, Venkataramani Sumantran, chairman and non-executive independent director of IndiGo, Pieter Elbers, chief executive officer (CEO) of IndiGo, Guillaume Faury, chief executive officer, Airbus, and Christian Scherer, chief commercial officer and head of international, Airbus, at the Paris Air Show 2023.

Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, said, “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.

“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,” said Christian Scherer, chief commercial officer and head, international at airbus.

New Delhi-headquartered IndiGo is among the fastest growing carriers in the world.

Since its first A320neo aircraft was delivered in March 2016, its fleet of A320neo Family has grown into one of the world’s largest with 264 aircraft in operation (162 A320neo, 79 A321neo, 21 A320ceo and 2 A321 freighters. IndiGo placed its first order with Airbus in 2005 (100 A320 Family) and again in 2011 (180 A320 Family including the NEO), in 2014 (250neo Family), and in 2019 (300 A320neo Family) taking its previous total order book to 830 A320 Family aircraft.

Over the last two decades, the A320neo has been instrumental in democratising air travel in India as an expanding economy and rising disposable incomes continue to add millions of first-time flyers to a booming aviation market.

Worldwide, the A320 Family is the undisputed leader in the single-aisle aircraft category. The aircraft has the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky that incorporates the very latest technologies. It features enhanced aerodynamics and the latest-generation jet engines, resulting in significant reductions in fuel consumption and lower emissions.

With more than 8,700 orders from over 130 customers, the A320neo Family is the aircraft Family of choice for airlines around the world across all business models.