Air India to Emirates and Pan Am: Who placed the biggest historic Aircraft orders?

Sakshi Jain

26 Dec 2022

The consequences of COVID-19 reduced demand for both domestic and international travel, with a long-term expectation that this demand fall would persist. It seemed that it would be some time before we saw sizable aircraft orders again.

Despite the anticipated economic slump, airlines are expressing confidence in the future of both the short-haul and international travel markets. Considering that aeroplanes can have list prices in the tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, purchasing aircraft is not a cheap endeavour. Naturally, airlines frequently negotiate considerable discounts on these listed rates, especially if they're placing a large purchase at once. 

United Airlines recently made the biggest widebody order in North American history. Let's examine this deal as well as some of the other biggest aircraft purchases that the world has ever witnessed.

United Airlines: 100 B787 Dreamliner & 56 B737 MAX, $37 billion, 2022

On 13th December 2022, United Airlines announced a definite order for 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The US carrier has also placed 100 extra options for additional 787s in addition to the definitive order for 100 aircraft. The -8, -9, and -10 aircraft variants may all be ordered by the carrier. The deal's exact value has not been disclosed by any of the parties, although at the list price, it would be worth more than $37 billion.

Additionally, the airline is reaffirming its commitment to the Boeing 737 MAX. United Airlines has added an additional 56 new orders on top of the previous 44 options of firm orders for the MAX that have been converted. 

United announced the order of 100 B787 Dreamliners on 13th Dec, 2022

Approximately 700 brand-new aircraft are currently on order for United Airlines, and their delivery won't be a family picnic. The Boeing 787 orders placed won't be delivered for ten years. The last planes from this order will be delivered in 2032, although the first ones will arrive as early as 2024. 

On the other hand, the 44 Boeing 737 MAX variants are currently scheduled to enter service between 2024 and 2026. The delivery dates for the 56 brand-new orders are 2027 to 2028, which will add a little more time.

IndiGo Partners’: 274 A320neo & 156 A321neo, 2017

Indigo Partners, a US private equity fund, placed the largest purchase for Airbus to date in 2017. In particular, 274 A320neo aircraft and 156 bigger A321neo aircraft totalled 430 A320neo aircraft.

The ability of the corporation to distribute the aircraft across many airlines is a benefit. This gives it more wiggle room in its order (it need not confirm the precise airline split) and probably gives it more clout in negotiations. Four low-cost airlines on three continents will share the aircraft: Frontier Airlines (US), Wizz Air (Hungary), Volaris (Mexico) and JetSmart (Chile).

Wizz Air: One of the Indigo Partners

150 B777X worth $56 billion, 50 A380 worth $ 20 billion, Emirates: The Dubai Airshow of 2013

On 17th November 2013, at the 2013 Dubai Air Show, Emirates made aviation history with a record-breaking order of 150 Boeing 777X aircraft. The airline placed a $56 billion purchase for 150 brand-new Boeing 777X planes split between 35 B777-800 and 115 B777-900 planes. 

Emirates placed a record-breaking order for 150 Boeing 777X aircraft at the 2013 Dubai Air Show on November 17th

Emirates lowered the order by 24 aircraft in 2019 and decided to take the 787 instead. However, according to Sir Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, he wouldn't mind waiting longer for the 787s if it meant Boeing could prepare the 777X for him more quickly. The newest data indicate that Emirates will receive its first Dreamliner in 2024, while it will receive its first 777X by 2025. 

Emirates is the only airline in the world to operate all 6 variants of the 777 families! Moments after ordering 150 planes from Boeing, Emirates announced a whopping $20 Million purchase deal of 50 A380 aircraft from Airbus.

Lion Air: 230 B737 MAX, $21.7 billion, 2012

Lion Air wins the lead for the largest single order (although by a slim margin), with their agreement to buy 201 737 MAX aircraft in February 2012 (it then added 50 more in 2017). With a list price of $21.7 billion, it concurrently bought 29 737-900 aircraft, which Boeing referred to as its largest commercial aeroplane order to date.

With their deal to acquire 201 737 MAX aircraft in February 2012, Lion Air takes the lead for the greatest single order

Last we heard, Lion Air indicated it was still committed to the order, despite being one of the carriers severely impacted by the MAX's failing MCAS and the following decline in travel across Asia. Just this summer, the carrier received the first MAX since the model was grounded in 2019.

American Airlines: 200 B737 & 260 A320, $38 billion, 2011

American Airlines declared its intent to buy 460 narrowbody aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing in 2011. This featured 200 Boeing 737 family aircraft and 260 Airbus A320 jets, all of which were scheduled to be delivered between 2013 and 2022. At the time, the acquisition had a value of over $38 billion.

In 2011, American Airlines announced its intention to purchase 460 narrowbody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing.

"We'll have the youngest fleet among our U.S. peers within five years as a result of this deal." –Tom Horton, President, of AMR told CNN International.

80 A350 worth $16 billion, Qatar Airways: Paris Airshow 2007

Qatar Airways and Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in May 2007 for the purchase of 80 Airbus A350 XWBs, including 20 A350-800s and 40 and 20 of the -900 and -1000 variants, respectively for the list price of $16 billion. 

In May 2007, Qatar Airways and Airbus agreed to an MoU for the sale of 80 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft

Three further Airbus A380s were added to the contract, and the deal was finalised on 18th June 2007 during the Paris Air Show. The first delivery of the Airbus A350 to Qatar Airways was made in 2014. 

Historic & Unique: Pan Am’s B747 order in 1966

In 1966, Pan American World Airways, which closely collaborated with Boeing to develop the 747, made a $500 million (more than $4.1 billion in 2022) aircraft order.

Even though it wasn't the biggest aircraft order ever, it was nonetheless a huge order at the time. Without it, the jumbo might not have developed as it did since it was a significant stimulus for that development. Of course, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) continue to consult their clients, but nowadays, it is uncommon for manufacturers and airlines to work so closely together. 

Pan American World Airways placed a $500 million (more than $4.1 billion in 2022) aircraft order in 1966. Pan American World Airways worked closely with Boeing to develop the 747.

S. No.AirlineOrder YearAircraft No. of AircraftPrice1.United2022B787 Dreamliner100$37 billionB737 MAX562. Indigo Partners2017A320neo274NAA321neo1563. Emirates2013B777X (changed to B787 Dreamliner)150 (became 24 later & remaining 126 B787)$56 billion2013A38050$20 billion4. Lion Air2012B737 MAX230$21.7 billion5. American Airlines2011B737200$38 billionA3202606. Qatar Airways2007A35080$16 billion7. Pan Am1996B747NA$500 million ($4.1 billion in 2022)Bulk Aircraft Orders Throughout History (World)

History of Bulk Aircraft orders by Indian Airliners

In the world's base stations for aircraft manufacture, the Indian flag is flying proudly. Good times have returned for Boeing and Airbus since their sales will be mostly driven by Indian carriers for several years to come. Newer airlines are on the verge of entering the market, while established airliners are expanding their fleet.

Domestic airlines have a large order backlog, which is estimated to be worth over $45 billion at list prices. According to industry observers, airlines may receive bulk discounts if they place a high number of orders. Here we will view some of the historic bulk orders from Indian Airliners.

Air India: 68 Boeing Planes, $11 billion, 2005

An agreement to purchase 68 aircraft was officially announced by Air India in 2005.  At list pricing, the order, which was placed with Boeing in December 2005, is worth more than $11 billion, and deliveries are expected to start in November 2006.

Air India’s order includes 23 777s, including 8 777-200LR (Longer Range) Worldliners, 15 777-300ERs (Extended Range), and 27 787-8 Dreamliners. 18 Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft were delivered to Air India Express, which was a fully owned subsidiary of Air India.

Air India is almost prepared to make historic purchases for as many as 500 jetliners from both Airbus and Boeing as part of its current development plans.

Currently, Air India has a fleet size of 112 aircraft comprising both Boeing and Airbus planes. As part of its present development plans, Air India is almost ready to place historic orders for as many as 500 jetliners from both Airbus and Boeing, totalling tens of billions of dollars.

Also read: Air India jumbo aircraft order to include B737 MAX and B787 Dreamliner

Up to 400 narrow-body aircraft and 100 or more wide-body aircraft, including numerous Airbus A350s and Boeing 787 and 777s, may be ordered. Such a transaction would be among the largest by a single airline in terms of volume and may exceed $100 billion at list pricing, including any options. The deal has not yet been completed.

Go Air (now Go First): 72 A320neo, $7 billion, 2011

As part of an expansion effort, Go Airlines (India) Ltd, which operates under the GoAir name, has a contract with Airbus to purchase 72 A320neo aircraft. At current list pricing, the agreement, which was inked at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK, is estimated to be worth $7.73 billion.

GoAir placed its most recent purchase after agreeing to a similar deal for 72 A320neo in 2011

GoAir placed its most recent order after reaching a comparable agreement for 72 A320neo in 2011. In June 2022, the first two aeroplanes from the 2011 order were delivered.

SpiceJet: 155 B737 MAX, $22 billion, 2017

In a $22 billion contract with Boeing in 2017, SpiceJet placed an order for 155 B737 MAX aircraft, with an option for a further 50. As of June 2022, the airline has 13 of these aircraft in its fleet but has plans to add more. 

Ajay Singh, the chairman of SpiceJet, revealed in 2021 that the company plans to introduce 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft by 2022–2023 in order to replace its ageing Boeing 737-800 NG fleet.

Currently, SpiceJet has 38 B737 MAX in service

In fact, he had predicted the business would get its 14th MAX by December 10th of the previous year. Currently, SpiceJet has 38 B737 MAX in service.

IndiGo: 300 A320neo & A321XLR, $33 billion, 2019

IndiGo placed an order for 300 A320neo family aircraft in 2019 for the cost of $33 billion. The A321XLR is also part of this order, though it's not clear how many. With a range of 4700 nautical miles, the A321XLR opens up enormous potential for IndiGo, offering trips to London, European capitals, much of Africa, and even Perth, Australia. It plans to become an all-A320neo airline in the coming years.

Airbus marks its 1,000th A320neo Family aircraft delivery in October 2019

Akasa Air: 72 B737 MAX, $9 billion, 2021

Akasa Air has ordered 72 Boeing 737 MAX in 2021 at a list price of $9 billion. The high-capacity 737-8-200 and the 737-8, both from the Boeing 737 MAX series, were ordered by Akasa Air. 

The first B737 was received on 16th June 2022. Out of 72 aircraft, Akasa plans to induct 18 of them by March 2023. Till now, Akasa Air has 11 B737 MAX in service. 

Akasa's first B737 was received on 16th June 2022

S. No.AirlineOrder YearAircraft No. of AircraftPrice1.Air India2005B77723$11 billionB787 Dreamliner27B737-800182. Go Air2011A320neo72$7 billion3. SpiceJet2017B737 MAX155$22 billion4. IndiGo2019A320neo300$33 billionA321XLRNA5. Akasa Air2021B737 MAX72$9 billionBulk Aircraft Orders Throughout History (India)

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Airlines asked to issue e-tickets to reduce check-in time

Radhika Bansal

23 Dec 2022

In order to reduce the check-in time, the Centre has asked airlines to issue flight tickets with barcodes. However, the airlines have opposed the move saying that a large number of tickets are issued by travel agents and they should not be held responsible for it, a report in the Economic Times (ET) said.

A senior official told ET that one of the bottlenecks at major airports was the entry gates.

"Passengers turn up with different formats of air tickets which then have to be manually checked by the security personnel at the entry gate. So, despite airports like Delhi and Mumbai having 2-D barcode scanners at entry gates, it cannot be used leading to an increase in queuing," he said.

India's major airports, especially Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, have been facing massive congestion with passengers complaining of long waiting times at entry gates and security checks.

The e-tickets with barcodes were originally suggested by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The move is also expected to prevent people with fake tickets from entering the airports.

Airlines, however, said that they couldn't maintain a uniform format for such tickets as travel agents do not have the facility to provide a 2-D barcode.

"IATA mandates that e-tickets should have information only about the passenger, PNR, and his journey. A barcode is mandatory there as it is usually on the boarding card...Small travel agents will not have the resources to issue tickets with barcodes," an executive of the airline told ET.

According to airlines, the Centre should make web check-in necessary.

(With Inputs from The Economic Times)

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2% of flyers will undergo random post-arrival testing at airports in India

Radhika Bansal

23 Dec 2022

In order to minimize the risk of ingress of BF.7, the new variant of coronavirus, in the country, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday decided that 2% of flyers will undergo random post-arrival testing at airports from December 24. Such passengers will be identified by the airline, preferably from different countries. They will be allowed to leave the airport after giving the sample. Samples testing positive will be sent for genome sequencing. The official notification reads, "A sub-section of 2% of the total passengers in the flight shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival." Ads by ADVERTISEMENT Ads by The notification said, "Such travellers will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport and a copy of the positive report shall be shared with Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme by the concerned Testing Laboratory (besides sharing with the APHOS) to be in turn shared with concerned State/UT for further follow up action." If any such travellers are tested positive, then their samples will be sent for genomic testing at the designated INSACOG laboratory network. This arrangement will come into the practice with effect from Saturday, 24th December, 2022. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in its revised guidelines for international arrivals said that all travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination. During the travel, if any passenger having symptoms of COVID-19 should be isolated as per standard protocol i.e. the said passenger should be wearing mask, isolated and segregated from other passengers in flight/travel and shifted to an isolation facility subsequently for follow up treatment. Physical distancing must be ensured while de-boarding. Thermal screening of all passengers should be done, the guidelines said. Travellers must self-monitor their health post arrival also report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number in case they have any symptoms suggestive, it said. Children under 12 years of age are exempted from post-arrival random testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the period of self-monitoring period, they shall undergo testing and treated, it added. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Health Minister Tanaji Sawant said international travellers arriving in the state will undergo thermal testing amid concern of a possible spike in COVID-19 cases due to the BF.7 variant of Omicron. Key Points A sub-section of 2 per cent of total passengers in the flight undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival Travellers in each flight shall be identified by the airlines concerned and be preferably from different countries Such travellers will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport This arrangement will come into practice with effect from Saturday Physical distancing must be ensured while de-boarding Thermal screening of all passengers should be done

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Moving in the direction of edible drones and nutritional wings

Prashant-prabhakar

22 Dec 2022

Drones that can increase their food payload from 30% to 50% of their mass were described in a publication earlier this month by researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.

At the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) conference in Kyoto, it was discussed how drones have proven effective in unmanned transport missions like the delivery of food and medical supplies to provide people in crises with life-saving nutrition and medication.

Commercial fixed-wing drones, on the other hand, can often only carry 10 to 30 per cent of their mass as payload. As a result, some drone components, such as the wings, might be built of food-grade materials, bringing the drone's mass ratio for transporting food to 50 per cent.

A flight-capable prototype can give 300 kcal and carry a cargo of 80 grams of water. Should the edible drone be left behind in the environment after performing its mission in an emergency circumstance, it will be more biodegradable than its non-edible version.

Due to the multirotor type drones' dependability when hovering and manoeuvring, some businesses have already started offering drone delivery services to save the cost of delivering small things on the last mile.

Drones can also be used to carry nutrients that will save lives for people in emergencies where ground vehicles have a tough time getting close. As a result, fixed-wing drones have an edge over multirotor drones.

Designboom

The edible wing has a wingspan of 678 mm because the volume of a fixed-wing drone's wing often takes up the most space. Conventional materials are used for the remaining structures, including the electronics, actuators, and fuselage.

To prevent bending or material failure during flight, the wing should be strong enough, which favours foam like expanded polypropylene (EPP) as the main structural material for traditional fixed-wing drones.

What's cooking?

One of the most promising candidates was a puffed rice cookie, which was formed by applying high pressure to rice grains at a high temperature and was easily machinable by laser cutting, according to rigorous scientific procedures, including Young's Modulus testing.

A kg of rice cookies has 3870 calories, which is less than other sweets that have over 5000 calories/kg of chocolate and candy, but their densities are five to eight times more than those of the rice cookie. Rice cookies are less dense and so more suited while still providing a very similar nutritional value to other common foods like oats, barley, and pasta.

To further offer a tiny quantity of nutrients to the edible wing, three types of edible adhesives were tested: gelatin, maize starch, and chocolate. Gelatin maintained a strong attachment until the material failure of the rice cookie itself. Gelatin was employed as an edible glue throughout the investigation since the team concluded that it was more durable than corn, starch, and chocolate.

Design and specs

Wing loading is a crucial design factor for aeronautical structures since it affects the lift coefficient, stall speed, and, in the case of an edible drone, the amount of food it can carry. The planar construction was adhered with gelatin in a hexagonal pattern to reduce the extra mass added by the edible adhesive, as seen below.

evtolinsights.com

One edible wing with a complete wingspan weighed 100 grams when the protective film was added. To prevent humidity damage, the entire wing surface was coated in plastic film and tape.

The electronics were placed at the front of the fuselage for balance during flight. The fuselage was composed of a 0.5 m long hollow carbon rod. Two tiny servo motors were employed as actuators for the tail wing's elevator and rudder, while a 300 kV brushless motor provided thrust.

A typical 2.4 GHz radio control transmitter and receiver set was used to remotely operate the motors. An 18.2 g Li-Po battery (7.4 V, 260 mAh) provided at least 10 minutes of flight time for the drone with edible wings. Without a payload, the total mass was 200 grams.

Despite being a prototype, the half-edible drone can fly, reaching speeds of roughly 10 meters per second after being equipped with a motor, several servos, and a small battery to control the tail surfaces.

Future research will concentrate on creating a novel method of storing payloads, such as water, on an edible drone without greatly expanding the surface area exposed to air. Since they are easy to make, it would be possible to use more than one edible drone to transport more food.

SOURCE: evtolinsights.com | spectrum.ieee.org

COVER: Designboom

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Airbus CEO meets PM Modi; plans to deepen industrial presence in India

Radhika Bansal

22 Dec 2022

Airbus plans to deepen its industrial presence in India, Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said on Wednesday, December 22 after meeting the country's prime minister.

"We will continue to support civil aviation growth and deepen our industrial footprint in India," Faury said on Twitter alongside a photograph of his meeting with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He did not provide further details. Faury's comments on industrial presence come as India is increasingly involved in the civil supply chain.

https://twitter.com/GuillaumeFaury/status/1605478296409362433

A senior Boeing Co official told ET Infra in September that India had shown resilience during the pandemic and that Boeing and other companies would make increased use of its suppliers.

The meeting between the world's largest civil planemaker and the leader of the world's fastest-growing airline market also coincides with a potentially huge Air India jet purchase, though industry sources said this was not the main focus of the visit.

Airbus plans to deepen its industrial presence in India, Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said

Air India is in the advanced stages of negotiating a major fleet renewal and expansion under new owner Tata Group that industry sources say could involve 250 Airbus jets including 200-210 A320neo-family jets and over three dozen A350s.

Airbus also hopes to secure a new home at Air India for six A350s originally earmarked for Russia's Aeroflot, though it remains unclear whether these are included in the main order.

ALSO READ - Air India jumbo aircraft order to include B737 MAX and B787 Dreamliner

Air India is also close to a deal to buy some 190 Boeing 737 MAX jets and 30 of its B787 Dreamliners as part of the same package potentially close to 500 aircraft, Reuters reported last week. The deal could also involve a handful of larger 777X jets.

After intense talks in the past week, outlines of a package worth tens of billions of dollars are taking shape but the timing of any announcement remains unclear, the sources said. Big-ticket aircraft negotiations typically go down to the wire and can break down at the last minute over contractual details like deposits and inflation clauses.

Airbus declined to comment and Tata Group was not immediately available to comment.

In October, Tata Group and Airbus said they would make the C-295 military transport aircraft in India.

India, among the world's largest defence importers, has been trying to cut its reliance on foreign firms and increase local output. Only state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd currently makes aircraft, mainly for the armed forces.

(With Inputs from Reuters)

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Ayodhya airport to be completed by June 2023

Radhika Bansal

22 Dec 2022

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Wednesday, December 21 said the overall project work of Ayodhya airport is expected to be completed by June 2023. The airport development project is worth INR 242 crore. It includes the construction of a terminal building and the development of airside facilities.

"The new terminal building with a total area of 6,000 sq.m.is being designed to serve 300 passengers during peak hours with an annual handling capacity of 6 lakh passengers," AAI said in a release.

Ayodhya airport to be completed by June 2023

52% of development work has been completed till now and overall project work is expected to be completed by June 2023. This airport will not only put the pilgrimage site on the aviation map but also give a boost to the economic development of the region. Direct air routes to this important religious destination would facilitate seamless and direct connectivity for pilgrims all over the world.

ALSO READ - AAI has begun the construction of Ayodhya airport

The design of the airport will reflect the idea and spirit of Ram Mandir, invoking a sense of spirituality and creating a sense of place for all passengers arriving and departing from the airport... The glass façade of the terminal will be designed to recreate a sense of being in the very palace of Ayodhya.

The roof of the terminal is proposed to be adorned with shikharas, of varying heights to convey a sense of grandeur to the structure. The terminal will have decorative columns displaying important events from Ramayana pictorially. The building will shine aesthetically and functionally, displaying a perfect mix of local architecture with a modern architectural note," AAI said in a statement detailing the upcoming airport's architectural aspects.

Direct air routes to this important religious destination would facilitate seamless and direct connectivity for pilgrims all over the world.

ALSO READ - UP government signs lease agreement with AAI to transfer land for Ayodhya Airport

The Ayodhya airport is among several projects of the Centre and the state government that have been approved for the temple town. Ayodhya Airport is the fifth international airport in Uttar Pradesh (after Lucknow, Varanasi, Kushinagar and Noida).

In 2008, the Ayodhya Airport was handed over by the government of Uttar Pradesh to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to be developed as a full-fledged airport along with three others (Meerut, Moradabad and Saifai) with the approval of the Uttar Pradesh cabinet. The government of Uttar Pradesh is providing extra land free of cost for further expansion and for the construction of a terminal.

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