It is not normal for a British prime minister to issue a statement celebrating an airline buying European planes. But yesterday Rishi Sunak did it because it is a tremendous injection for Europe and specifically for his country, which will produce the wings and engines of these planes (Airbus and Boeing share the largest purchase of planes in history).
The operation could have a value of up to 32 billion euros. “This is a historic moment for India, for Air India and for Airbus,” said Guillaume Faury, the president of the European consortium.
The operation consists of the sale of 210 A320neo aircraft (we are talking about the family, which includes the 321) and 40 A350. This latest aircraft model will become the symbol of the company, since it will establish its international projection.
It should be remembered that Air India had announced a few days before a slightly smaller operation with Boeing, focused on 737 Max aircraft (Air India expands the aircraft it buys from Boeing to 220).
The news was so important that it was attended by video conference by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Air India was public until recently and was taken over by the Tata family, which had been its founder before nationalisation. The Tatas merged it with Vistara, another airline they own, and now they are betting on capitalizing on the aviation boom that India is experiencing.
There is a second less outstanding news that is the engines. Almost all these planes admit three engines: the French, the American or the British. Apparently, most will have Rolls engines, which are manufactured in Great Britain, which has caused the euphoria of the prime minister, by the way, also of Indian origin.
