The Hindu Business Line : Indian enters the market to lease 10 Airbus A-330

The airline, which has already been designated by the Government to operate flights to these countries, has entered the market to dry-lease up to 10 Airbus A-330 aircraft.

These aircraft would be in a position to operate non-stop fights between India and the UK, Australia and Africa. In addition, the aircraft would be able to operate to the US after making a stop enroute.

Till now, the lack of long-haul aircraft had hampered the airlines' plans of operating flights to these destinations.

Long-haul flights

The airline is likely to make a foray into operating long-haul flights in October, when two Airbus A-330 aircraft that it had leased earlier would join the fleet.

The aircraft are to be utilised to operate flights to Melbourne and Guangzhou (China).

Airline officials indicated that if the airline fleet increased it would not only increase the frequency of flights to existing international destinations but would also operate flights to more international cities.

ATR aircraft

The airline also plans to lease up to seven ATR aircraft that would be utilised to operate flights to small town and on feeder routes.

Sources told Business Line that four of the seven ATR aircraft would be stationed in the North-East as replacement to similar aircraft, which would go out of service in December on expiry of their lease.

The ATR aircraft would be operated by the airlines' 100 per cent subsidiary Alliance Air.