Air India is currently negotiating with Airbus and Boeing to expand its fleet with up to 300 new aircraft, including 80 to 100 wide-body jets, according to sources on Wednesday. This move signifies a rapid progression in its transformation under the Tata Group.
The discussions build on earlier reports of plans to acquire 200 narrow-body jets and 25-30 wide-body aircraft.
Airbus has stated it does not comment on confidential talks, while Air India and Boeing have yet to reply to inquiries.
In June, it was reported by Reuters that Air India was in talks for a substantial order of around 200 additional narrow-body planes, supplementing a significant 2023 deal.
This was in addition to previous negotiations for 25-30 wide-body jets reported in March.
As part of its rebranding strategy to evolve into a modern global airline under Tata, Air India is considering acquiring up to 300 more planes, according to informed sources.
It remains unclear how many of these would be firm orders as opposed to options.
Such a deal would likely be divided between the two major aircraft manufacturers, though the exact distribution has not been finalized, a source mentioned.
The negotiations continue as Air India aims to overcome a Boeing 787 crash in June that resulted in 260 fatalities in Ahmedabad, India.
Increasing its wide-body fleet could enhance Air India’s international reach and replace older aircraft.
