Air India today approved the floating of tenders for inviting offers for acquisition of 50 aircraft - of which two-thirds will be on firm basis and one-third on option.

Air-India plans to acquire three types of aircraft for its fleet.

1. Medium Capacity Ultra Long Range aircraft (A340-500/B777-200LR)
2. Medium Capacity Long Range - 350 seater, in three-class configuration (A340-600/B777-300ER); and
3. Medium Capacity Long Range—250 seater, in two class configuration (A330-200/B7E7-8).

The plan provides for an increase in fleet size from the present 34 to 74 - a net addition of 40 aircraft. Air India proposes to increase seat capacity by 12% annually over this period.

This fleet acquisition plan, which covers a period up to 2012-2013, provides for replacement of two B747-300 aircraft; 19 A310-300 aircraft (including 11 leased ones) and 5 leased Boeing 747-400s in Air India’s present fleet.

Air India has also decided to process the acquisition of 18 737-800 W aircraft, which it had earlier selected for its Small Capacity Short Range operations, in the name of its subsidiary company, Air India Charters Ltd. (AICL), after updating the project report based on low cost, low fare operations. These aircraft will on induction be used for replacing the leased capacity to be deployed by Air India Express when it commences operations in April 2005.
——-