The Hindu Business Line : IA floats global bids for sale of aircraft

The aircraft being offered on sale can seat 248 passengers including 33 in business class and completed its first commercial flight with IA on August 11, 1980.

The airline has fixed July 6 as the last date for accepting the bids. The aircraft was manufactured on June 10, 1980 and delivered to IA on August 7 of the same year. The airline has fixed the earnest money for those interested in bidding at $10,000 or Rs 4,50,000. The successful bidder will have to pay the sale price within two weeks of acceptance of the offer and take possession within four weeks thereafter.

Official sources told Business Line that with the sale of the Airbus A-300 aircraft, the airline will be left with only three Airbus A-300. The airline has a mixed fleet of aircrafts including Airbus A-300, Airbus A-320, and Boeing 737. At one time during the more than 50-year existence of IA the A-300 aircraft was considered the war-horse and the airline had 11 such aircraft.

However, IA has already begun the process of getting replacements for the Airbus A-300 aircraft. Sources indicated that at least four leased Airbus A-320 aircraft would be joining the fleet in the near future to meet the growing market demand.

Besides, the airline is also seeking to lease the smaller Airbus A-319 aircraft. While the A-320 aircraft are to be utilised by IA, the A-319 aircraft will be operated by the airlines' 100 per cent subsidiary, Alliance Air.

Even as the airline goes in for sale and lease of aircraft, its 43-aircraft fleet acquisition plan is yet to be cleared by the Government. The airline board had in March 2002 approved a proposal to acquire 43-Airbus aircraft at an estimated value of more than Rs 10,000 crore.