Jet to lease three Boeing aircraft to Thai Airways

Mumbai: India’s largest carrier by traffic,Jet Airways (India) Ltd, said on Thursday that it will immediately lease out three Boeing 777-300ER (extra range) planes to Thai Airways International Pcl. for three years as part of its fleet and capacity rationalization.
A senior Jet Airways executive said the deal will bring in a little over $1 million (Rs4.56 crore) a month. He did not want to be identified as he is not authorized to speak to the media.
Aviation analysts said the move will be profitable for the airline, but warned it could pose a problem if air traffic grew at a fast pace and Jet needed to use such large planes itself.
Jet was earlier negotiating with Royal Brunei Airlines for a dry-leasing deal—in which an aircraft is rented out without any crew, insurance or maintenance services—but failed to reach an agreement. It is currently dry-leasing four other 777 ER aircraft, which can seat up to 440 passengers, to Turkish Airlines.
Meanwhile, National Aviation Co. of India Ltd, or Nacil, which runs national flag carrier Air India, is struggling to find an airline to lease out six such planes, and has floated an open tender without even specifying a duration for the lease.
25/03/10 P.R. Sanjai/Live Mint

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Jet Airways Mar 2010