Air-India issues tenders for aircraft

Air-India has issued tenders to dry-lease two to four Boeing 747-400 combi aircraft for its own long-haul operations and another eleven Boeing 737-800s for its new subsidiary, Air-India Charters Limited.

While the large 747-400 combis would be taken on dry-lease for a period of three years, the 737-800s would be inducted by AICL for five years, the tender documents said.

The last date of submission of technical and financial bids for both type of planes is October 12.

The B747-400 combis are likely to have a capacity of between 220 and 300 seats in a three-class configuration -- that is the economy, business and executive classes.

The AICL would lease the B737-800s, with a capacity of about 100 seats in a two-class configuration, to operate primarily on Southeast and West Asian routes.

Air-India has already indicated that it wanted to induct the larger aircraft by March next year. The AICL also wants to induct at least three B737-800s in the same period.

The public sector carrier had earlier this year entered the market to lease up to 20 aircraft for periods ranging from seven to ten years.

These planes included three ultra long haul ones -- either Airbus A-340-500 or B-777-200 (Long Range). The other 17 aircraft were to be chosen from a mix of four types -- A-330-200, A340-300, B737-200 (Extended Range) and B747-400 combis.

The civil aviation ministry has asked the Air-India and Indian Airlines to take the dry-lease route till decisions are taken to purchase them as part of their fleet expansion programmes.