The board of directors at indigo airlines has given the green light for the purchase of 10 additional airbus A320 NEO family aircraft, as per the company's recent announcement. These ten planes are part of the initial order of 300 aircraft that IndiGo had inked with Airbus.
Back in 2019, IndiGo had made headlines by ordering a staggering 430 aircraft from the French aircraft manufacturer. At that time, this order was valued at approximately $33 billion based on catalog prices. However, the delivery of the A320 NEOs has been delayed, largely due to issues with Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines.
This recent decision comes just two months after IndiGo placed an even more substantial order for 500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft, marking not only the airline's largest-ever order but also the biggest single aircraft purchase in Airbus history. The latest order from IndiGo encompasses a mix of A320NEO, A321NEO, and A321XLR aircraft.
The rationale behind these significant aircraft orders is to reduce operational costs, enhance fuel efficiency, and maintain high levels of reliability. Upon receiving these aircraft, IndiGo aims to advance its sustainability goals. With this new firm order for 500 aircraft scheduled for delivery between 2030 and 2035, IndiGo's order book now stands at nearly 1,000 aircraft, a substantial commitment well into the next decade.
IndiGo's CEO, Pieter Elbers, commented on the order, emphasizing its historic significance: "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."
In response to this development, shares of IndiGo's parent company, Interglobe Aviation, saw an increase of 0.83% to trade at INR 2,458.75 per share on the BSE, while on the NSE, they were up 0.76% to trade at INR 2,457.50 apiece.