IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has placed a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The order will help expand IndiGo’s international network to long-haul destinations.

The A350 is positioned to serve the country’s aspirations for long-range travel and reaffirms IndiGo’s continued trust in Airbus for long-haul air travel.

“Today’s historic moment marks a new chapter for IndiGo and will further shape the future of the airline and for Indian aviation at the same time. For IndiGo, after successfully pioneering the Indian skies with an unprecedented journey, its fleet of 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft will allow IndiGo to embark on its next phase of becoming one of the leading global aviation players. At IndiGo, we take pride in being India’s preferred airline and for offering connectivity to our customers, in and with India. This reaffirms IndiGo’s belief in, and commitment to, the growth of India, and in our strategic partnership with Airbus,” said Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo.

“A heartfelt thank you to IndiGo for putting its trust in Airbus once again, and to our respective teams who negotiated this agreement for 30 A350s. IndiGo’s first widebody order opens an exciting new chapter in our close partnership. We are proud that our fuel-efficient, next-generation A320 family revolutionised domestic air travel in India, and that now the A350 is poised to replicate the same success on long-haul routes,” Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales, Commercial Aircraft.

The A350’s new generation engines and use of lightweight materials bring a 25% advantage in fuel burn, operating costs, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compared to previous generation competitor aircraft.

(Source: Aerospace Manufacturing and Design)