Air India orders 30 Boeing jets and signs a multi-year 787 services deal at Wings India 2026
Air India, a Tata Group airline, has placed an additional order for 30 Boeing aircraft, comprising 20 737-8 and 10 737-10 jets at Wings India 2026, an airshow currently taking place in Hyderabad, capital of Telangana.
In a press statement, Air India says that these 30 single-aisle aircraft are in addition to the firm orders for 220 aircraft placed in 2023, taking the total number of Boeing aircraft orders to 250. The airline has so far received 52 aircraft from the original 220, including 51 737-8s in service with its subsidiary, Air India Express, and one brand-new 787-9 entering commercial service between Mumbai and Frankfurt from February 1.
Air India says that powered by CFM Leap-1B engines, the Boeing 737 delivers exceptional fuel-efficiency, passenger comfort and operational reliability for robust single-aisle aircraft operations.
Also read: Air India Express inducts first line-fit Boeing 737-8 aircraft
The airline has also announced the conversion of 15 of its existing Airbus A321neo orders to the advanced A321XLR variant. This conversion is part of Air India’s landmark Airbus orders placed in 2023 with an addition in 2024, comprising a total of 50 twin-aisle A350 and 300 single-aisle A320 Family aircraft. The deliveries of the 15 A321XLR are expected between 2029 and 2030. The A321XLR offers a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles or 8,700 km, exceptional fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and superior onboard comfort, enabling Air India to open new non-stop international routes and optimise medium-haul services.
According to the statement, under the Boeing 787 Component Services Programme (CSP), covering its entire 787 fleet including aircraft on order, the airline will receive end-to-end component management. The CSP includes component pooling, repair, overhaul and modification services, and logistics support, enabling rapid replacement of line-replaceable units, maintaining fleet performance, and ensuring global parts availability.
The statement says that the Boeing 737 Maxaircraft will expand domestic and regional connectivity across India and South Asia, while the A321XLR will allow Air India to optimise medium-haul and long-haul international operations, delivering exceptional fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.
The carrier says that the CSP will enhance cost predictability while maintaining high reliability for the 787 fleet, giving Air India access to shared, dispatch-critical components for its Dreamliner operations.
The statement adds, Air India and Airbus are long-standing partners. The two companies have a 50:50 joint venture that has set up an advanced pilot training centre, inaugurated in September 2025, at the Air India Training Academy in Gurugram, Haryana. The state-of-the-art facility, equipped with 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFS), will train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to support the exponential growth of commercial aviation in India.
Beyond fleet expansion, Air India continues its fleet modernisation drive since privatisation in January 2022, adding nearly 170 aircraft through new deliveries, strategic leases, the merger of Vistara into Air India, and reactivation of long-grounded aircraft.
Also Read: Air India adds 174 weekly flights to domestic and short-haul international network
Benoit de Saint-Exupéry
“Air India’s decision to select the A321XLR is a significant endorsement of this game-changing aircraft. The A321XLR is proving to be a revenue generator by boosting frequencies, managing seasonality and optimising capacity on medium-haul routes. We are pleased to see Air India using the XLR’s efficiency and range to open new opportunities and strengthen India’s connections with the rest of the world,” says Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President of Commercial Aircraft Sales, Airbus.
Sisira Kanta Dash
“As Air India transforms into a globally competitive full-service carrier, dependable component support is vital to sustaining high operational standards across our expanding Boeing 787 operations, this agreement with Boeing Global Services strengthens our long-standing partnership and provides integrated solutions needed to deliver greater fleet efficiency, reduced downtime and consistent service excellence to our passengers,” says Sisira Kanta Dash, Chief Technical Officer, Air India.
William Ampofo
“The 787 Component Services Programme is one of Boeing Global Services’ core solutions, designed to optimise component availability and provide operators with scalable, reliable component support. This long-term partnership with Air India deepens our commitment to enabling cost-effective, resilient operations for their Dreamliner fleet, while our global parts and repair network delivers the uptime and cost predictability their operations require,” says William Ampofo, senior vice president, Parts and Distribution and Supply Chain, Boeing Global Services.