Air-India plans to take 17 aircraft on lease to meet its immediate requirements. The state-run carrier is considering a mix of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, which it will take on lease for a period of 5-7 years.

The move by the airline comes at a time when the government has rejected its proposal to buy aircraft and asked it to review its fleet expansion plan.

The dry leasing of aircraft will come in handy for the carrier as the government has directed it to double the size of its fleet in the next 2-3 years through a mix of leasing and buying options.

Air-India will take new aircraft on lease for a period of seven years, while used ones will be for a period of five years only.