Air India in Talks to Acquire Boeing Airplanes Rejected by Chinese Airlines

Air India is currently in talks with US plane manufacturer Boeing to acquire 10 737 MAX jets rejected by Chinese airlines following trade tensions between both countries.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg had mentioned on Wednesday that due to the reciprocal tariffs between the US and China, many of the airliners’ Chinese customers were unwilling to take delivery of their aircraft

According to sources, who spoke to Reuters,  Air India is looking to take advantage of the situation by acquiring around 10 narrowbody aircraft from Boeing for its budget subsidiary, Air India Express, which operates a fleet of over 100 planes.

The source also noted, “Air India is very interested in the planes and if the deal is finalized, the planes are expected to join the fleet by the end of the year,” while emphasizing that the talks are still in the early stages.

This potential acquisition could significantly support Air India’s expansion efforts, which have been limited by a shortage of new aircraft. Last month, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson described the airline as a “victim of circumstance,” referring to the delivery delays affecting both Boeing and Airbus.

Air India has benefited from China’s pullback with Boeing in the past after it steadily added two Boeing aircraft a month on average since September 2023 as the company tried to clear its backlogs of Aircraft originally made for China. This pool is expected to run dry in June.