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Indian Airlines to lease upto 10 aircraft

State-run Indian Airlines will lease upto 10 second-hand aircraft to expand fleet capacity and replace ageing aircraft, an airline official said on Monday.

He did not specify the type of planes the airline planned to add to its 54-aircraft fleet, a mix of Airbus A320s, Airbus A300s and Boeing 737-200s.

"The aircraft will be between 100-140 seat capacity," he said.

Earlier this year, the airline advertised for the lease of five Boeing 737-200s along with two Airbus A320s. But it finally only managed to lease the Airbus A320 aircraft.

The Indian government plans to privatise Indian Airlines by June or July this year. But only two scandal-tainted groups have bid for a 26 per cent stake in the airline, putting the sale process in jeopardy.

India's consumer goods maker Videocon International and four expatriate Indian billionaire brothers, the Hindujas, have submitted bids for the airline.

Indian Airlines lost its market leader position last year, with privately-owned Jet Airways gaining most from the loss.

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