Air India to add 50 Planes by 2021

Saturday, 18th April 2015 at 05:50am

Largest Indian airliner Air India is set to increase its fleet of 112 aircrafts by adding 50 more by 2021. The carrier has decided to do this in order to boost its domestic and international operations.

The airliner hopes to get a U-turn by carrying more passengers and flying to more destinations than it is now.

A senior official at Air India said the following:

"As per the government-approved turn-around plan Air India is required to raise its fleet to 152 by 2021. Since it can't go for outright purchase, it will be leasing these aircrafts from lessors."

He added:

"Air India is planning to lease 14 Airbus A 320 neo (new engine option) and ceo (current engine option) aircraft. The A 320 neo will be inducted into the fleet by 2017, while A 320 ceo will be inducted by 2016."

Air India's Current Fleet

Currently, Air India fleet consists of 62 Airbus and 38 Boeing planes. The carrier has 2 narrow bodied aircrafts for each wide bodied aircraft. The airliner has a fleet of 68 narrow bodied and 34 wide bodied aircraft.

Among the 34 wide bodied aircraft are 20 Boeing 787-8, popular Dreamliners, while the rest are Boeing 777s. On the other hand, the narrow bodied fleet includes Boeing 747s and Airbus 320, 321 and 330.

Right now the average age of Air India's planes is 8.5 years, with the newest fleet being 5 years old, having been ordered in 2006.

Why is Air India Expanding its Fleet?

With these new planes Air India seeks to increase its long-haul operations on Europe, North America and Australia routes. In addition to this, the carrier also wants to capitalize on increasing the frequency of domestic and international flights.

Air India senior official explained that:

"The percentage of passengers from home sky flying internationally on Indian carriers constitute merely about 20-25% of the total passengers. This number stands at about 50% for American and middle-eastern carriers. If Indian carriers like Air India don't increase its fleet and connectivity to international destinations, they stand a chance to lose traffic to foreign carriers."

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