Air India is targeting the international long-haul market for growth by expanding its wide-body fleet over the next 3 to 5 years. The airline plans to optimize its fleet and network to better connect passengers traveling to Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas, as part of its strategy to boost profitability, according to Nipun Aggarwal, the airline’s Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer, on January 10.
In a bid to meet the growing demand for direct long-haul flights, Air India plans to add 44 A350-1000s, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and 10 Boeing 777X widebody aircraft to its fleet over the next decade. These additions are expected to enable Air India to cater to a larger share of long-haul traffic, which is currently dominated by connecting flights.
Aggarwal noted that while 26 million passengers currently fly on long-haul routes annually, Air India serves just 6 million of them. The airline aims to address the gap in direct flight options, offering passengers more convenient non-stop services as it receives its new fleet.
The long-haul international flights market represents a significant revenue opportunity for Indian carriers, generating around $16 billion annually, far surpassing the $8 billion from short-haul international flights and $10 billion from domestic passengers. With this ambitious fleet expansion, Air India hopes to capture a larger share of this lucrative segment and position itself as a key player in the global aviation industry.
