Airbus' record deal with IndiGo
August 17, 2015
Airbus announced Monday that it had reached a deal with India's low-cost airline IndiGo to deliver 250 A320neo aircraft.
The Indian carrier already operates a fleet of A320s, having previously ordered 280 planes. With the latest announcement, the number of A320neo medium-haul aircraft IndiGo has so far ordered rises to 530.
The order is valued at around $26.5 billion (24 billion euros) at catalog prices.
The deal comes at a time when India's air passenger market is seeing rapid expansion, boosted by a growing economy and fast-expanding middle class.
Fuel efficiency matters
Smaller passenger planes are increasingly in demand around Asia as budget carriers expand their reach to less prominent cities.
Airbus says the A320neo is also designed to be fuel-efficient, consuming 15 percent less fuel - a significant selling point for airlines in the cut-throat medium-haul sector.
With the latest deal, Airbus' order book for the A320neo has crossed to over 4,100 aircraft, reflecting its popularity with airlines.
sri/hg (AFP, Reuters, dpa)