|
|
|
|
Air Indian to expand fleet for
budget services
3 May, 2007:
State-run Air India seems to be
hogging all the limelight even as the
run up to the AI-Indian merger is
gathering pace. AI has reportedly
finalized plans to replace leased
aircraft of its budget carrier
AI-Express with completely owned
fleet. The merger between Air India
and Indian Airlines, in terms of
fleet, network and staff, would take
one or two years. But the legalities
of merger will be through by June.
The airline plans to buy as many as
four aircraft this year and provide
the much needed push to its budget
flight services. This will mean that
AI-Express would be doubling its fleet
to 25 aircraft by next year. Of the
current 13 budget-carrier the airline
operate, seven are on lease, a report
pointed out.
Besides the purchase plan,AI-Express
has also lined up new daily services
connecting Thiruvananthapuram with
Dubai in a matter of three months.
AI-Express expects to net Rs 1000
crore revenue during the current
financial ear, plying a million
passengers." Last year, AI-Express had
earned Rs 690 crore revenue on 7.5
lakh passengers.
The carrier has also put
pilot-training high on its agenda.
With the AI needing at least 1000
pilots , the recruitments are being
planned through campus placement,
whereby picking engineering graduates
for pilot-training. The Air Indian top
brass has also signed an MoU with the
Indian Air Force to facilitate hiring
of retired IAF pilots.
|
|
|
