Indian airline IndiGo orders 30 Airbus A350 widebody planes

AFP | New Delhi

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India Indian airline IndiGo said yesterday it had signed an order for 30 more Airbus A350-900s, bringing its shopping list for the widebody aircraft from the European aircraft manufacturer to 60.

“We are placing a firm order for 30 Airbus A350- 900s,” said Pieter Elbers, the CEO of IndiGo, which was founded in 2006 and is behind the largest contract by volume in the history of civil aviation -- 500 Airbus single-aisle aircraft by 2023.

The low-cost carrier, India’s biggest by market share, is positioning itself as a significant player in the long-haul market.“This strategic move will enable IndiGo to spread its wings further and expand its long-haul international network,” the company said.

Benoit de Saint-Exupery, Airbus commercial aircraft vice-president of sales, hailed “IndiGo’s incredible rise”.

“You have democratised flying in India, and now you want to expand internationally,” he said. The A350 planes, with ranges of up to 15,000 kilometres (9,300 miles), will allow it to expand its network further.

O ve ra l l , I n d i G o h a s placed orders for around 1,000 aircraft from the A320 family, Airbus’s most successful model and rival of the Boeing 737 MAX, which has endured multiple setbacks.