The Hindu Business Line : Airbus A-380 coming to India next year

Bullish on India
Airbus estimates that India would require 935 passenger and 165 freighter aircraft till 2026
It has also drawn up plans of investing close to $1 billion in various projects

MR JOHN LEAHY, Chief Operating Officer, Airbus, with Dr Kiran Rao (left), President, Airbus-India, addressing a press conference in the Capital on Thursday. — Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , Dec. 7

The world's largest aircraft, Airbus A-380, is to fly into India early next year, the Chief Operating Officer, Customers, Mr John Leahy, has said. "We were earlier planning to fly the aircraft for the Bangalore air show. But that airfield is too small. So we plan to get the aircraft to Mumbai and Delhi early next year. The A-380 will definitely be here in the next couple of months," Mr Leahy said.

The A-380 aircraft project has been delayed and the aircraft is now expected to enter commercial service with Singapore Airlines only next year as against the earlier expected launch towards this year-end.

Projections

Meanwhile, the European aircraft manufacturer estimates that India would require 1,100 new aircraft worth $105 billion at current prices till 2025. "The projections are based on a conservative assessment made by us. If the infrastructure improves further then we could see an increase in demand for aircraft. Strong demand is being unleashed by the deregulation taking place in the sector, the emergence of several new players, the availability of lower fares and a huge untapped demand for air travel," Mr Leahy said.

Airbus estimates that India would require 935 passenger and 165 freighter aircraft till 2026. "We estimate that there is scope for at least 54 large Airbus A-380 variety of aircraft in the Indian market till 2025" Mr Leahy said.

At the moment, Kingfisher Airlines is the only Indian carrier to have ordered the A-380 which it will receive almost 10 months later than what was agreed to earlier.

Airbus estimates that India will average an annual passenger traffic growth of 7.7 per cent until 2025 well above the world average of 4.8 per cent.

Plans investment

Besides, the aircraft manufacturer has also drawn up plans of investing close to $1 billion in various projects that it will undertake within the country. "The proposed investment is almost double of the $500 million that we are required to undertake as part of the 43-Airbus deal with Indian," the President, Airbus India, Dr Kiran Rao, said.

The proposed investment by Airbus include setting up an engineering centre that is to come up in Bangalore and setting up a training centre for Airbus A-320 pilots, crew and engineers.

Both the projects are expected to become operational next year.