IndiGo Places Order for 30 Airbus A350-900s Ahead Of “International Travel Boom”

Recently, it was reported that India’s large low-cost airline, IndiGo, was ordering 30 Airbus A350 jets. Now, those reports are official. In a press release, IndiGo said it is purchasing 30 Airbus A350 widebody aircraft and stated it would help the airline expand its international network to long-haul destinations. It is not clear when these aircraft are expected to be delivered. IndiGo placed the order for the jets on 6 May 2024. IndiGo has only been operating for 17 years now, but it has ballooned into the largest airline in India.

IndiGo orders 30 Airbus A350s

“India, the world’s fastest growing major aviation market, is on the verge of an international travel boom as the economy grows and household incomes rise. The A350 is perfectly positioned to serve the country’s aspirations for long-range travel.” – IndiGo

IndiGo noted that the order shows the airline’s trust in Airbus and that it is the “undisputed leader in long-haul air travel.” Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales, stated that the fuel-efficient next-generation A320 family successfully ‘revolutionized domestic air travel’ in India and hoped the A350s would replicate that success. This also comes amid the continuing fallouts affecting Boeing from its once-touted Boeing 737 MAX family of jets. Boeing has been accused of cutting corners and lapses in safety leading to crashes and blowouts.

These are IndiGo’s first widebody orders, and according to the press release, the A350 is the most modern and efficient wide-body aircraft in the 300-410 seater category. The A350 benefits from a clean-sheet design with advanced aerodynamics and state-of-the-art technologies. Boasting lightweight materials, new generation engines, and other advancements, the A350 brings a 25% saving in fuel burn along with lower operating costs and less emissions when compared to previous generation competitor aircraft.

Related

Wow: IndiGo Is India’s First Airline To Pass 2,000 Scheduled Flights A Day

The airline reached this milestone in 17 years since its inception in 2006.

IndiGo: a fast-growing airline

IndiGo is one of the fastest-growing airlines and operates one of the world’s largest A320 family fleets. It already has almost 1,000 A320-family aircraft on order. Last year, the Indian airline placed the largest-ever single aircraft order by any airline for a whopping 500 airplanes. IndiGo operates the Airbus A320 CEO & NEO, the A321 NEO, and the ATR 72-600 aircraft (meaning that it doesn’t operate any Boeing aircraft).

Photo: BoeingMan777 | Shutterstock

IndiGo became the first Indian airline to schedule 2,000 flights a day and is growing both domestically and internationally. In 2023, IndiGo passed the hurdle of becoming the first Indian airline to fly more than 100 million passengers in a year.

It already commands over 60% of India’s domestic market, serving 85 domestic destinations. But it is also growing internationally, adding 20 international routes in six months. It has over 30 international destinations – mostly in the Asia region. Its first international flight was launched in 2011 between New Delhi and Dubai.