Indonesian carrier Batavia Air has agreed to lease three Airbus A319s from AerCap and is looking to eventually acquire A320s to replace its fleet of Boeing 737-200s.
Batavia Air pilots have begun A319 training in Toulouse, France, ahead of delivery of the carrier’s first Airbus aircraft in the second week of January 2006, says vice-president of marketing Sjamsi Junus.
He adds that all three A319s will be leased from AerCap, previously known as Debis AirFinance, and be delivered by the end of 2006.
“After 2007, maybe step by step, we want to cut the 737-200s from the fleet and maybe change to A320s or other Boeing types,” says Junus.
The airline currently operates 16 737-200s, four 737-400s and one Fokker F28. In late October Batavia Air also took delivery of its first 737-300.
Junus says a second 737-300 is due for delivery this week, with a third before year-end and next year it will receive seven more.
Source: Flight International
