The Hindu Business Line : Indian Airlines is now `Indian'; gets new logo<br>Airbus sees increased aircraft demand from India

The Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, standing near the new Airbus A-319 aircraft on its arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the Capital on Wednesday. - Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Dec. 7

INDIAN Airlines on Wednesday announced its new name and identity. To be called `Indian', the airlines' new logo is being described as a "contemporary graphic representation inspired by the wheel of the Sun Temple at Konark."

Addressing the media, the Union Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel, who was present to receive the new fleet of Airbus 319, said, "The logo change symbolises the fact that we are gearing up Indian Airlines (IA) to face competition and challenges. IA has been a very important component of aviation and, moreover, it has been the flag bearer of the nation from within."

Also present at the occasion was Dr Kiran Rao, Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Pricing, Customer Affairs, Airbus France, who said the company would soon revise its forecast on Indian demand for airlines from the 570 planes it had initially predicted.

"Indian carriers may buy between 800 and 1,000 planes by 2026 as opposed to 570. If you see the enthusiasm that goes into starting new airlines, you are sure to revise the estimates," he said.

Attributing the revised figures to the country's economic growth, Dr Rao said, "When you have new airlines and the market is growing strongly, the demand for aircraft will rise."

According to him, domestic airlines had ordered 158 Airbus planes and 85 Boeing aircraft. And there may be scope for an order of 40 A380 aircraft, he said. Dr Rao said Airbus had plans to set up training centres in India, whose market size would be second only to China.

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