Air India joins aircraft boom, but history of airline busts loom

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The objective of Tata Group is clear: to return India to commercial aviation’s world stage. The new owners of Air India did just that earlier this month with a combined order for 470 aircraft between Boeing and Airbus. It is the largest single airline order in the history of aviation, trumping the 2011 American Airlines order for 460 narrowbodies. 

Under Air India’s new private ownership, Airbus and Boeing won firm commitments for 140 A320neo, 70 A321neo family aircraft and 34 A350-1000s and 6 A350-900s,3Air India will take delivery of six A350-900s starting in 2023 that were destined for Aeroflot. 190 737 Max 8s and 10s, 20 787-9s, and 10 777-9s. For both India and the industry that will supply it with airplanes in the coming years, the frenetic growth strategy across the country’s aviation players holds enormous potential, as well as systemic market risks amid a shifting geopolitical landscape. 

For India, this makes an already massive order book even larger. Based on data from ch-aviation, nearly 75% of the Indian commercial fleet has not yet been delivered, showing just how much growth the airlines of the region believe is left for the taking. 

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