Dreamliner delay forces AI plan tweak

New Delhi: The Air India board is likely to hire four Airbus 330s for the South East Asian and West Asian routes till its Dreamliner jets arrive. The board will also decide on key appointments at its board meeting later this week.
Air India may rent the Airbuses for a year to fly to places taking six hours to eight hours. The airline, which has run up losses of over Rs 7,200 crore, is likely to get its first Dreamliner early next year and possibly four to five more in the same year as well as a hefty compensation for a two-year delay in the delivery of the wide-bodied planes built of carbon fibre reinforced plastic.
However, sources said, the loss-laden airline urgently needs medium haul planes on heavy traffic routes to South East Asia and West Asia, where AI is facing stiff competition from new entrants such as Air Arabia and Air Asia as well as older players who are improving their products while cutting prices.
22/09/10 Jayanta Roy Chowdhury/The Telegraph

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Categories: Foreign Sep 2010, NACIL Sep 2010