Air India may place fresh orders for aircraft this year to cater to the growing demand and expand its network, even as it plans to lease 10 to 15 planes till 2012 when the planes already ordered would be delivered.

"We have two types of requirements -- we need aircraft capacity up to 2011, when our already ordered planes are being delivered. The other requirement is for future growth beyond 2011," AI chairman and managing director V Thulasidas told reporters here. The company also launched a non-stop service between Delhi and New York from February 8.

AI has already ordered a total of 111 aircraft, some of which have been inducted. These aircraft are primarily meant to replace the existing ageing fleet and would be delivered by 2011.

"AI and the government in the past committed a mistake of only placing orders and not planning for the future. I hope we will not commit that mistake in future," he said.

"We have already launched the exercise for 2012. We will finalise the plan and place orders in 2008," Thulasidas said.

On leasing of planes even when the ordered ones are being delivered by manufacturers, he said with the delay in Boeing 787 Dreamliner programme, there is a pressure on the availability of various kinds of aircraft.

"We were supposed to get four aircraft this year and four more in the next. This delay (in the 787 deliveries) will call for seven to eight aircraft till next year. Till 2012, we are looking at 10-15 aircraft if we can get them," the AI chief said. AI has booked 27 B-787s.