Air India to Lease 30 New Aircraft to Expand Domestic and International Operations

Air India announced on Monday that it will gradually introduce 30 new aircraft, including 5 wide-body Boeing planes, beginning in December this year, as the Tatas-owned airline seeks to expand its domestic and international services.

The airline has agreements in place to lease five wide-body Boeing aircraft and twenty-five narrow-body Airbus aircraft over the next 15 months.

Air India in a statement said;

“These new aircraft, which will enter service from late 2022, will increase the airline’s fleet by over 25 per cent. Not counting the 10 long-grounded narrow-body and 6 wide-body aircraft that have been returned to service in recent months, these new aircraft mark the first major fleet expansion since Air India’s acquisition by the Tata Group earlier this year”.

The planes being leased include;

• 21 Airbus A320 Neos
• 4 Airbus A321 Neos and
• 5 Boeing B777-200LRs.

Between December 2022 and March 2023, the B777-200LRs will be added to the fleet. They will be utilized on routes connecting Indian cities to the United States.

According to Air India, “Flights to San Francisco as well as both of the New York area’s international airports, Newark Liberty and John F Kennedy, will be added to Mumbai, while Bangalore will receive three times weekly service to San Francisco.”

“These aircraft will result in Air India offering Premium Economy haul flights for the first time,” the statement said.

The four A321 neo aircraft are expected to join the fleet in the first quarter of the calendar year 2023, with the 21 A320 neos following in the second half of 2023.

These aircraft will be used on domestic routes as well as short-haul international routes.

Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson said

“After a long time without significant growth, Air India is delighted to resume expanding its fleet and global footprint. These new aircraft, together with existing aircraft being returned to service, address an immediate need for more capacity and connectivity, and mark a strong step forward.”

Currently, the airline’s narrow-body fleet stands at 70 aircraft. Out of them, 54 are in service and the remaining 16 aircraft will progressively return to service by early 2023.

These aircraft will be used on domestic routes as well as short-haul international routes.