In 2025, the total net induction was 35 planes -- 79 added and 44 returned -- making it much lower than even 2024.
Aircraft supply to airlines will remain constrained during the next four to five years due to the supply chain issues being faced by plane makers Airbus and Boeing and there is not much that carriers can do beyond optimising their flight network expansion, Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said on Tuesday.
Air India will purchase 220 planes from Boeing for $34 billion, with an option to buy 70 more aircraft that could take the total transaction value to $45.9 billion, a deal that US President Joe Biden described as a "historic agreement". While announcing the Boeing-Air India deal on Tuesday, Biden also asserted that together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he was looking forward to deepen the ties between India and the US. As per an announcement from the White House, Boeing and Air India have reached an agreement under which the airline will purchase 190 B737 MAX, 20 B787, and 10 B777X for a total of 220 firm order valued at $34 billion at list price.
Talking to reporters after a meeting of the state cabinet, he said Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the entire cabinet offered tributes to those who had lost their lives in the June 12 plane crash in Ahmedabad during the meet.
Air India's flight to London from Ahmedabad, which has started operating with a new code post the June 12 crash of AI-171, was cancelled on Tuesday due to "operational issues", an airport official said.
While Air India cancelled six international flights due to aviation regulator DGCA subjecting its Dreamliner fleet to enhanced checks, the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick one was cancelled due to unavailability of aircraft, the airline said.
How India overcame umpteen odds to reintroduce the cheetah on its territory after the handsome cat became extinct in the country decades earlier.
Tensions began soon after Indian authorities proposed flying the American black-box experts to a remote military facility, even as US officials intervened, citing safety and security risks.
As for now, let's just say Air India has a long way to go before it can be the reliable, comfortable choice we all dream of. But until then, we'll just keep our expectations in check, enjoy the camaraderie of shared movies, and hope for the best, observes Abhijit J Masih who flew Air India recently to the States.
A week after the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad claimed 270 lives, investigators on Thursday continued to sift for clues to ascertain the cause, while the government said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will decide where to decode the black box of the ill-fated Dreamliner.
Events from mid-2025 to early 2026 exposed deeper systemic concerns for India's aviation safety architecture.
Air India on Monday said it will lease 12 more aircraft comprising both A320 neo and Boeing 777, which are expected to be inducted in its existing fleet in the first half of 2023. The new planes will be deployed on the airline's short, medium and long-haul international routes, Air India said in a statement. Air India said it has leased 42 aircraft since its privatisation in January this year.
Air India would start inspecting its six Boeing 787 Dreamliners from Tuesday.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel met the family members of Rupani and informed them about the DNA match, state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said.
'The funds were arranged from multiple banks at a very competitive rate and converted into dollars at the best rates.'
The panel, chaired by the home secretary, is expected to submit its report in three months.
Air India had placed an order for 68 aircraft, including Boeing 737s, 777s and 787s, all valued at $11 billion in Dec 2005.
In little over a year, Air India and IndiGo have announced plans to purchase up to 170 wide-body planes as they bet on ambitious expansion and efforts also continue to make India a global aviation hub. Also, the two carriers' orders usher in European aircraft maker Airbus into the country's wide-body space, which has traditionally been dominated by US major Boeing. If narrow-body aircraft orders of Air India, IndiGo and Akasa Air are added to the list, the order book is well over 1,200 planes and that too in less than 14 months or since February 2023.
Air India shelves plan to acquire Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
'Extending 'flight duty period' and 'flight time' limits for minimum crew complement operations increases exposure to fatigue-related performance degradation'
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operated by Tata-owned Air India, was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian passenger, along with crew members. There are feared to be no survivors.
Air India has grounded six of these planes in its fleet.
Air India's entire European operations are carried out with Boeing Dreamliner planes.
A Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner operated by Air India this week returned to London due to a communications problem, but has since been operational, the state-run carrier said on Wednesday.
Air India plans to buy 27 B-787 'Dreamliners' from Boeing which are to be delivered in phases.
Air India is keen to raise working capital by selling aircraft.
Air India's ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed soon after take off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12 underwent comprehensive maintenance checks in June 2023 and was due for the next scheduled comprehensive checks in December this year, according to airline officials.
"Airlines in India like Jet Airways and Air India have firm orders with Boeing for delivery till the year 2011. Now they are planning beyond that in view of expected market growth," said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice-president (sales), Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The A-I board approved the purchase of 50 aircraft costing Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion), subject to government approval, an A-I statement said in Mumbai.\n\n
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft that went down soon after take-off was operating the flight 'AI 171' from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.
The government is also planning to replace the current ageing Air India One or Boeing 747 with Boeing 777s. Arup Roychoudhury and Archis Mohan report.
Turkish officials on Sunday denied claims that the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had undergone maintenance by Turkish Technic, calling such allegations 'false' and 'disinformation'.
Air India on Friday said it has completed the acquisition of its first A350-900 aircraft by way of a finance lease transaction with HSBC through the GIFT City. This is also the first wide body aircraft to be leased through the GIFT City, the country's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). In a release, the airline said the transaction was facilitated by its wholly-owned subsidiary AI Fleet Services Ltd (AIFS) and is also the first financing transaction from the orders for 470 aircraft that were made earlier this year.
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, a project which was marred by repeated delays and obstacles, is an instance of the most advanced aviation technology available. Its aerodynamic design, engines, flight controls and avionics are almost part of the aviation folklore.
Air-India Ltd's board will discuss on April 3 whether the state-run long-haul carrier should place orders for 17 long-range aircraft from Boeing or Airbus, a spokesman for the airline said on Wednesday.
In a LinkedIn post on Wednesday, February 15, night, Nipun Aggarwal had said Air India, in addition to the order of 470 planes, had the option to purchase 370 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing.
The airline will induct four more Dreamliners next year to complete order of 27 of these aircraft
Panel of its and govt officials to scrutinise operational record and decide whether to proceed with inducting more Boeing 787s.
The pilot of the twin-engine wide bodied aircraft issued a 'Mayday' distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after takeoff at 1.39 pm, the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad said.
US aircraft manufacturer Boeing said on Friday that it would concentrate on clinching the Air-India deal of 17 aircraft and was willing to have a dialogue with the government on the Indian Airlines' proposal to acquire 43 aircraft.
