Air India to lease one more Airbus

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, Dec. 13

THE Air India board, which met here late on Wednesday, gave the approval for the airline to lease its fifth Airbus A-310-300 aircraft for a period of three years beginning January next year.

In a statement, the airline has said that the aircraft will replace the two Boeing 747-200 aircraft, which are aging and have become uneconomical. Besides, the airline will also look at leasing three more Airbus A-310-300 aircrafts so as to replace the three Airbus A-300B4 aircraft by March 2002.

The phased out Boeing 747-200 and three A300B4 aircraft would be sold after the Haj movement in the first quarter of next year. One Boeing 747-200 aircraft would be sold after suitable alternative arrangements have been made for VVIP operations, the airlines has said. The airline has also appointed an expert committee to look into the future fleet acquisition programme, which is to submit its recommendations within three months on the long-term fleet renewal and expansion programme of AI.