MUMBAI- Interglobe-owned IndiGo Airlines (6E) is in talks with aircraft manufacturers to place a new narrowbody aircraft order. However, these are just rumors and not confirmed news, but it’s still considerable as it’s from a reliable source.
IndiGo Airlines majorly operates the Airbus aircraft in a fleet of 410 aircraft (including temporary lease) and also ATRs. Further, it has leased some Boeing planes amid the Airbus A320s grounding due to Pratt and Whitney engine issues.
Rumor: IndiGo Airlines New Order
According to the post shared by VT-VSC, who goes by Aviatorflyboy on X, he is an Indian pilot and regularly posts updates and news on Indian aviation dynamics.
In a post, he wrote, “Strong rumors IndiGo might announce a big aircraft deal in near future And it’s not Airbus 320 or ATR.”
Many aviation experts and analysts have commented on the post which is seen by 30,000 people.
One of them is Sanjay Lazar, the lord of Indian aviation with almost 40 years of experience. He is also the author of ON ANGELS WINGS, a book based on the Air India Flight 182 bombing that killed 331 people, including 86 children.
Mr Lazar said, “You remember we had several discussions on this a few months ago?”
A few weeks back he posted, “I had heard rumors that Indigo was considering a strategic decision with Airbus to switch to A220 It was because of support from Airbus pilot training + CCQ which would give it seamless pilot integration across the entire fleet. It’s still pretty new but the A220 is the king of the short/ medium haul IMHO.”
Similarly, one user wrote, “A220? Airbus would be keen to make an order. So would Embraer but think the 220 works better for IndiGo”
Later reacting to one comment, VT-ASH said it was either an Embraer or an Airbus A220 aircraft.
Airbus A220s?
Let’s decode which aircraft will IndiGo Choose, will it be an Airbus A220 or an Embraer aircraft?
Well, I think IndiGo has great bargaining power with Airbus as it is one of the largest operators of Airbus planes at least in Asia, and has also placed the largest order in Airbus history.
So going by the strategic and financial edge, Airbus A220 is highly possible. But Airbus A220 is operated by a limited number of carriers, with Delta Air Lines (DL) being the largest operator. It was a replacement for its 50-seater old and less fuel-efficient regional jets.
IndiGo already has one of the youngest fleets in the country. So they need an aircraft that opens up new markets, strengthens domestic network, and improves capacity on existing routes.
Airbus A220 is actually a rename of Bombardier CSeries. Airbus has two variants for A220:
- A 35 m (115 ft) long A220-100 which seats between 108 to 133 passengers based on configuration.
- A 38.7 m (127 ft) long A220-300 variant that occupies 130 to 160 passengers similar to A319s and slightly lower than A320s.
IndiGo might go for A320-100s if they want to deploy them on regional routes.
Embraer Jets
Star Air (S5), is an Indian regional airline and the only carrier that operates a fleet of Embraer aircraft in the country. But the airline is doing well and this year completed 5 years of operations. The airline operates Embraer ERJ-145 and ERJ-175 aircraft.
Embraer has various types of regional jets based on use case and they are the market leader in this segment. Here’s the list I found on Wikipedia so correct me if any discrepancies through social media pages:
- Embraer E-Jet family
- Embraer 170 (66–78 passengers)
- Embraer 175 (76–88 passengers)
- Embraer 190 (96–114 passengers)
- Embraer 195 (100–124 passengers)
- Embraer E-Jet E2 family
- Embraer 175-E2 (80–90 passengers)
- Embraer 190-E2 (97–114 passengers)
- Embraer 195-E2 (120–146 passengers)
The Brazil-based manufacturer has various options to choose from and IndiGo might go for the E2 family if they are planning premium offerings.
In the coming months, we will know what IndiGo will choose but they are already the leading domestic carrier with a market share of over 60%, and with this new narrowbody order in talks, it can grab some share from regional carriers.
Also, with a Widebody order for 30 A350s, it envisioned to challenge Air India’s monopoly on International routes.
What do you think about IndiGo Airlines’ new order? What it should be and why? Let us know your thoughts in the comments on our social media pages.
Feature Image by Eurospot (@cliper31) / X
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