(June 27): Airbus SE has emerged as the front runner to win an aircraft order worth as much as US$5.5 billion (about RM24.23 billion) from Jet Airways India Ltd, according to people familiar with the matter, solidifying the European plane-maker’s hold in the world’s fastest-growing aviation market.
The talks are for A320neo jets and A220 planes, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private. Boeing Co and Embraer SA are also in discussions and no final decision had been taken, the people said. Although at sticker prices any transaction would be north of US$5 billion, discounts are common in such large purchases.
Representatives of Boeing and Airbus didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Jet Airways, once India’s top private airline, got its flying licence last month, marking the first time a carrier has been revived under the nation’s new bankruptcy laws. The flying permit validated the airline’s operational readiness, signalling its transformation into a “new avatar with fresh funding, changed ownership and new management”, according to a statement.
“We are in final negotiations with lessors and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) for aircraft, and we will announce our aircraft choice and fleet plan once we have made a decision,” a representative of Jet Airways said on Monday (June 27). “We are studying all possibilities to find the one that works best for us.”
