Air India plans to sell 11 of its 20-year-old Airbus A320 aircraft and return another 11 to leesors in the coming year as part of its fleet renewal process.
An airline spokesman says that the aircraft that it plans to sell were old models that it inducted in 1989 and 1990. India's flag carrier also wants to move away from operating a leased fleet by returning 11 A320s in the coming months.
These will be replaced by 18 new A319 and A321 aircraft that Air India plans to induct in the fiscal year that began on 1 April.
"The newer aircraft are faster and more fuel efficient, and we want to keep our fleet fresh as we compete with the other carriers," says the spokesman. The airline plans to operate them on domestic routes and regional services to cities such as Bangkok and Singapore, he adds.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
