Air India seeks more wide-body jets, sees profitability ‘very soon’, CEO says
It is embarking on fleet renewal and also wants to boost international passenger traffic.
Air India is seeking to expand its order for wide-body aircraft in an effort to increase international passenger traffic, according to chief executive Tewolde Gebremariam. The comments were made on November 3rd at the Aviation India event in New Delhi, as the Tata Group-owned carrier seeks to return to profitability "very soon."
The airline is facing higher operating costs, geopolitical disruptions, and losses while driving a comprehensive turnaround. Gebremariam stated that Air India is considering more wide-body jets to strengthen its long-haul fleet and expand its international reach. Industry sources reveal that the airline has been negotiating with both Boeing and Airbus regarding the cost of replacing older wide-body jets, which are not as efficient as newer aircraft.
Airbus declined to comment on the airline's fleet plans, while Boeing has yet to respond to a Reuters request for comment. The specifics of how many wide-body jets Air India aims to order were not disclosed by Gebremariam. Since its return to Tata Group ownership in 2022, Air India has undergone a multi-billion-dollar transformation program, focusing on fleet renewal, cabin upgrades, and network expansion. The Indian conglomerate owns 75% of the airline, with Singapore Airlines holding the remaining 25%.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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