Air India (AI), which is currently seeking compensation from Boeing for losses incurred due to the grounding of its Boeing 787 jets, will have to incur further losses even after these aircraft have resumed flying on domestic routes from 15 May onwards, an aviation expert told Firstpost.
AI, which used to fly its Boeing-787 jet aircraft, also known as Dreamliners, on three international routes (to Paris, Dubai and Frankfurt) as well as domestic routes, will start operating international flights again, according to Minister for Civil Aviation Ajit Singh. “AI will start flights on the Dreamliner to Birmingham, Sydney and Melbourne in August. In October, it will start flights to Italy (Rome and Milan). And, early next year will see flights to Moscow. These flights will be to and from Delhi,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India on 15 May.
The aviation industry worldwide was affected by the grounding of an entire fleet of 50 Boeing-787 aircraft on 17 January following persistent problems with the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries. AI has six 787 jets in its fleet and will be acquiring eight more B-787s by December.
16/05/13 Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Abhishek Angad and Patrick S.L. Ghose/First Post
