|
|
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT May
8, 2005: Faced with a shortage of leased
aircraft and increasing number of passengers,
Bangalore-based low-budget airline Air Deccan
has
asked Airbus Industrie to advance the delivery
schedule of the A320s.
The company, which services mainly the
Bangalore-Delhi route, is facing a shortage of
leased aircraft, while number of passengers is
increasing day by day. This has prompted the Air
Deccan to request Airbus Industrie to advance the
delivery schedule by a year to 2006.
Air Deccan had ordered 32 Airbus A320s worth $1.8
billion and 36 ATRs whose deliveries were slated
to begin from 2007.
The no-frills airline has to operate more flights
to sustain its business model, compared with other
airlines which make better profits per aircraft.
Air Deccan operates 100 flights a day to 32
destinations, officials said.
Air Deccan has drawn around $30 million from the
funds invested by ICICI Venture Capital and
Capital One, which is around $40 million. Half of
the $30 million has been given as advance money
for purchase of aircraft.
Air Deccan has set a target of over 200 per cent
growth in revenues this fiscal to around Rs 1,000
crore and expects a similar growth next fiscal
also.
Meanwhile, Deccan Aviation (the holding company of
Air Deccan) Managing Director G R Gopinath said
that the airline would receive one ATR or an
Airbus aircraft each month of the 32 airbus and 36
ATRs for which it had placed orders.
Air Deccan had started its operations with one
leased turbo-prop aircraft from French aircraft
maker ATR. Subsequently, it has added aircraft
from European civil aircraft maker, Airbus
Industrie to its fleet.
OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT |
