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Ashwini Phadnis

New Delhi, March 19 Air India has decided to extend for another 18 months the lease on two Airbus A-310 aircraft. Official sources told Business Line that the decision was taken at a meeting held here late on Tuesday evening.

The airline top brass felt that with the production delay in the Boeing 787 aircraft it would be more prudent to hold on to the leased capacity currently in the fleet.

“Like several airlines globally, Air India is also facing a problem in getting aircraft. A decision was therefore taken to extend the lease on the two Airbus A-310 aircraft, the lease of which expires soon. The merger with Indian has helped release some aircraft as the routes on which both Air India and Indian used to operate are being rationalised,” a senior airline official said.

Air India, which was to be the third global airline to receive the aircraft, will now receive the first of 27 aircraft in 2009, almost a year behind schedule.

Despite the delay in receiving the Boeing 787 aircraft, the airline is looking to expand its global route network and is examining the option of operating both a non-stop and one-stop flight from India to the West Coast of the US.

“The airline is examining various options including starting a flight from the National Capital. We are also looking at the traffic flows to see whether there is scope for operating a one-stop and a non-stop service to the US West Coast,” officials said.

Asked whether the airline would go in for short-term leasing of Airbus A-340-500 aircraft being offered by a domestic airline to overcome the shortage of aircraft, officials indicated that this was not being considered.

The Airbus A-340-500 is capable of flying non-stop from Bangalore to San Francisco. Kingfisher Airlines, which at the moment is not allowed to fly abroad, is to take delivery of the first of five A 340-500 aircraft in April this year.

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