Airbus to hit fast track

Vies for more orders from Air India, others

NEW DELHI: Airbus Industrie is looking at the fastest-growing civil aviation market, India, to improve its order book.

Having already bagged an order for 43 aircraft from Air India, it is looking forward to bagging another one from the state-owned carrier.

The French major is looking to bid in three categories: A380 (versus the 747-8 from Boeing), A 350 (vs Boeing’s 787) and the A 320 family (vs 737).

An internal aircraft acquisition committee of Air India is already examining options on the number of aircraft to be purchased and is expected to submit a proposal to the National Aviation Company of India Ltd (Nacil, the merged entity of Air India and Indian) board sometime in December.

Airbus CEO Tom Enders on Tuesday said his company hopes to expand relationships with India. So far, among Indian carriers, only Kingfisher Airlines has placed orders for purchase of A-380s.

“If orders are placed within the next couple of months, Airbus will be able to start delivery of aircraft by 2011-12,” Enders said.

So far this year, Airbus has sold 65 aircraft in India and the company says up to 10% of its order book is filled with orders from this country each year. “We expect much more to come from India,” Miranda Mills of Airbus India, said.

Airbus estimates demand from India to touch a whopping 1,100 aircraft worth $105 billion in 20 years.

Airbus Industrie’s relationship with India is not limited to sale of aircraft alone. It is also inaugurating a training service institute in Bangalore, besides forging a partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for building doors of the Airbus A-320 planes.