IndiGo to buy 500 Airbus aircraft in largest-ever order

InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of India's largest domestic carrier IndiGo, will buy 500 Airbus A320 planes in the largest-ever single aircraft order in aviation history.

The order — announced by top executives of both companies at the Paris Air Show 2023 — will provide IndiGo with a further steady stream of deliveries between 2030 and 2035.

"This 500 aircraft order is not only IndiGo's largest order, but also the largest-ever single aircraft purchase by any airline with Airbus," the budget airline says in a statement.

The engine selection for this order will be done in due course and so will be the exact mix of A320 and A321 aircraft, the no-frills carrier says.

IndiGo operates over 300 aircraft and has previous orders totalling 480 aircraft which are yet to be delivered. With this additional order of 500 aircraft for 2030-2035, IndiGo's order book has almost 1,000 aircraft yet to be delivered well into the next decade. The airline's domestic market share stood at 61.4% in May.

IndiGo's order book comprises a mix of A320NEO, A321NEO, and A321XLR aircraft. "The evaluation of the offers was shared and discussed with IndiGo's board, and consequently endorsed," the statement reads.

"The fuel-efficient A320NEO Family aircraft will allow IndiGo to maintain its strong focus on lowering operating costs and delivering fuel efficiency with high standards of reliability. The young and fuel-efficient fleet will help IndiGo realize its sustainability ambitions, building on the already realized CO2 reduction of 21% between FY16 and FY23," the low-cost carrier says.

With this new order, since its inception in 2006, IndiGo has ordered a massive total of 1,330 aircraft from French major Airbus.

"It is difficult to overstate the significance of IndiGo's new historic order for 500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. An order book now of almost 1,000 aircraft well into the next decade, enables IndiGo to fulfill its mission to continue to boost economic growth, social cohesion and mobility in India," says Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo.

"This order strongly reaffirms IndiGo's belief in the growth of India, in the A320 Family and in our strategic partnership with Airbus," Elbers adds.

The deal comes months after Air India ordered 470 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus for $80 billion, with an option to purchase another 370 aircraft.