The Hindu Business Line : Jagson Airlines to buy 3 Bombardiers

The Jagson Chairman, Mr Jagdish P. Gupta, while confirming the move to purchase the aircraft, said on Friday that they would be used to operate flights on feeder routes within the country.

"We will buy three Bombardier aircraft. The aircraft that we will be buying will be between two and five years old. We have asked the company to make the aircraft available at the earliest and hope to be able to get the first one this month itself," Mr Gupta told Business Line.

Mr Gupta added that the Canadian aircraft was chosen over another European aircraft, which was also being considered by the airlines.

The financing for the aircraft, which are going to cost about Rs 60 crore each, has been firmed up, Mr Gupta said, although he refused to discuss details on how the transaction was being financed. The airline, which was given a licence in 1992, currently has a fleet of three 18-seater Dornier aircraft and one five-seater Chetak helicopter. The Chetak helicopter was acquired recently from the Rajasthan Government.

The airline operates flights to several destinations, including Kullu and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh and to cities in Rajasthan, among others. The airline has been in talks for some time now for purchase of 50-seater aircraft.

The induction of the Bombardier aircraft will make Jagson the second operator to fly such an aircraft in the country. Incidentally, Air Sahara already operates the 50-seater Bombardier CRJ regional jets on several of its domestic routes.