Air India's significant Airbus order has undergone a substantial modification.

After much speculation, the Air India group officially announced a substantial aircraft order on Valentine's Day this year, totaling 470 planes. Initially celebrated as the largest order in history, IndiGo matched this achievement by securing 500 planes just a day before Air India formalized its order. Both events took place at the Paris Air Show in June. 

Air India's order included a combination of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, covering both narrowbody and widebody types. The Airbus order comprised 140 A320neo aircraft, 70 A321neo, 34 A350-1000, and six A350-900 wide-body jets. The six A350-900s, originally intended for Aeroflot but undelivered due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, were swiftly acquired by Air India. It was widely believed that Air India chose the A350-1000s for its requirements, while the A350-900s were obtained promptly since they were readily available. Although four of the six A350-900s have been delivered to Air India, they have not yet arrived in India, undergoing painting or cabin refits. 

In a surprising turn of events, the latest Airbus orders data, released up to the end of November, reveals that Air India has made adjustments to its orders. Specifically, the airline has increased its order for A350-900s by 14 units and decreased an equal number of A350-1000s. The more unexpected change is in the narrowbody segment, where the airline has modified its orders, reducing A320neo orders to 70 and increasing A321neo orders to 140. None of the narrowbody aircraft have been delivered, with the current ones originating from a previous 2022 order through lessors. 

Typically, contracts between Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and airlines allow such changes in the order book, albeit with associated costs and cutoff dates based on production timelines. Given the complexities of the supply chain, advance notice is crucial to inform suppliers and ensure a smooth transition in production, particularly in the current climate of supply chain challenges. IndiGo, a rival, has also adjusted its order split multiple times, initially favoring the A321neo, then shifting to the A320neo before again leaning towards the A321neo.