Air India is preparing to order 500 Airbus and Boeing jets

Reuters reported Sunday Dec. 11 that Air India, the Asia-region’s biggest carrier outside of China, is preparing to place an order for around 500 planes from both Boeing and its European rival Airbus.

The order includes around 400 narrow-body jets and 100 or more wide-bodies, as finishing touches are placed on the mammoth deal in the coming days.

The purchase, which could include both narrow and wide-body jets, could be worth tens of billions of dollars at current list prices. India’s Economic Times reported the deal could include 50 737 Max jets, with an option for a further 150 of the redesigned aircraft.

Boeing is also likely to confirm a major 787 Dreamliner order with United Airlines, with the carrier scheduling what it said would be an ‘historic announcement’ on Tuesday at the planemaker’s South Carolina manufacturing base.

The report added that the deal would allow Airbus to secure a home for some A350 production slots initially earmarked for Russia’s Aeroflot and now left open because of war-related sanctions against Moscow.

Founded by JRD Tata in 1932, Air India was nationalized in 1953. Tata regained control in January and has since been working to revive its reputation as a world-class airline.