DAVID FULLBROOK / SINGAPORE
Bombardier leasing deal seen as route into potentially lucrative Asian regional jet market
Bombardier is set to beat its competitors by winning the first order for modern regional jets from an Indian carrier, with Air Sahara poised to sign a deal for 12 leased Bombardier CRJs this month.
Bombardier's coup gives it a head start in a country experiencing strong economic growth and long heralded by manufacturers as potentially being one of Asia's biggest regional jet markets.
A UK-based lessor will supply eight 50-seat CRJ200s and four 70-seat CRJ700s on seven-year leases, delivering two every month from April, says Sahara chief executive Uttam Kumar Bose.
Sahara expects the aircraft will generate more traffic from provincial areas into its big city hubs by bolstering and expanding services targeting business travellers.
The expected deal will mark a turnaround for Sahara. Two years ago plans to launch a domestic feeder carrier using 12 30-seat Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops were abandoned due to high fuel costs and airport charges.
Competitor Jet Airways also has plans to deploy regional jets, but so far has not moved beyond ATR turboprops on regional feeder routes.
Sahara's expansion will also see two more Boeing 737-700s arrive in March, while a 737-400 will be released. By year-end Sahara will have 10 737-700/800s, compared with nine 737s now flying to 13 Indian destinations.
If Sahara's lobbying succeeds, it could be adding destinations in neighbouring countries as early as next year, with Europe, the Middle East and South-East Asia to follow.
Earlier plans to go international were scuppered by the Indian government's failure to find buyers for state-owned carriers Air India and Indian Airlines. The sale of these airlines would have automatically granted India's private carriers international rights.
Source: Flight International
