India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo, has placed a confirmed order for 250 Airbus A320neo (new engine option) with the European airframer.
Signed on India’s 69th Independence Day, August 15 2015, the order is a confirmation of the agreement entered into in October last year, by the two companies.
This order is the single largest order by numbers ever placed on Airbus.
IndiGo commenced operations by placing an order in 2005 for 100 A320 narrow body single aircraft aircraft, at the time, considered monumental. Today that order has been completed. In 2011, at the Paris Air Show, IndiGo was one of the earliest adopters globally, and the first from India, when it ordered the 180 A320neo. With today’s order, IndiGo’s order book for the A320 family aircraft is 530 of which 430, all A320neo’s are due for delivery. However, the airline has not release any delivery schedule for the orders.
The carrier had indicated in its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) for its initial public offering (IPO), last year’s purchase agreement had lapsed. This had raised concerns in the investor community, which will be put to rest with today’s announcement.
Please read our analysis on IndiGo’s fleet procurement strategy.