Air India has topped up its 737 Max orders with Boeing and opted to convert some of its Airbus A321neo orders into the XLR variant as it continues on its transformation journey under Tata Group ownership.
The airline group will take 20 more 737 Max 8s and 10 737 Max 10s, it said on 28 January, bringing its total orders placed with Boeing to 250 aircraft, following a 2023 commitment for 220 jets. Some 52 of those aircraft have already been delivered, Air India says, comprising 51 Max 8s and one 787-9.
The CFM International Leap-1B-powered Max 8s are in service with low-cost unit Air India Express.
Air India then announced on 29 January that it has converted 15 of the 210 A321neos it has on order with Airbus to the A321XLR variant, with deliveries of the latter expected between 2029 and 2030.
“The strategic conversion of a portion of our single-aisle Airbus aircraft orders to the A321XLR is in line with our effort of positioning Air India for the future,” says airline chief executive Campbell Wilson.
“While we transform our current fleet at an accelerated pace with new and retrofitted aircraft, we are also carefully building our future fleet that, with scale and versatility, serves the rapidly evolving needs of travellers from and to India.”
Air India placed an order for 350 Airbus jets in 2023, comprising the 300 narrowbodies – the 210 A321neos alongside 90 A320neos – and 50 A350 widebodies. Of those Airbus orders, Air India has so far taken delivery of six A350-900s that were originally destined for Russian carrier Aeroflot.
All of the airline’s A321neos are due to be powered by CFM International Leap-1A engines.
Air India now has outstanding orders for 542 new aircraft and around 300 aircraft in its group fleet today.
