Airbus Industrie, the European aerospace company, landed its biggest-ever aircraft order in the history of commercial aviation. It announced that budget Indian airline IndiGo had placed an order for 500 of its A320 planes, to be delivered between 2030 and 2035.
Executives from both companies announced the deal on the opening day of the Paris Air Show, the world’s largest event focusing on aviation and space industry held this year from 19 – 25 June.
The order is “an enormous milestone,” IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers said at a press conference. “No one has ever ordered an order of this magnitude. And it speaks to the potential of Indian aviation and the ambitions which IndiGo has.”
The purchase highlights how the two companies are “democratizing affordable air travel for millions of people in the world’s fastest growing aviation market,” Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer said in a statement.
Aviation companies are eager to capitalize on India’s strong economy and its booming population. In February, IndiGo’s rival Air India ordered more than 470 jets from Airbus and Boeing.
The International Monetary Fund expects India to outperform all major emerging and advanced economies this year, logging 5.9% growth in gross domestic product.
