Home > Business > PTI > Report
Air Sahara to induct 12 aircraft, eyes international flights
February 10, 2003 17:04 IST
Private domestic airline Air Sahara said on Monday it would induct 12 aircraft this year, including seven Bombardier and five Boeing aircraft, at about $45 million to start new flights and add new destinations in the country.
The airline also hopes to receive government nod for flying to SAARC countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh, Air Sahara CEO U K Bose said.
"The seven 50-seater 'CRJ-200' Bombardier aircraft will be taken on seven-year long-term dry lease at about $20 million. The first of these aircraft is expected to arrive in the next two days. All of them will be inducted by April 2003," Bose said.
He said the five 150-seater Boeing 737-700 and 800 aircraft would be simultaneously inducted into the fleet by December this year.
"By this year-end, we will have 22 aircraft in our fleet. Our target is to fly to 26 destinations by December-end as against 13 now. The number of daily flights should go up to 155 from 63 at present," Bose added.
The airline would fund the acquisition of the new aircraft through loans from financial institutions, banks and internal accruals.
"We have been told (by the government) yes it is happening. Be ready," Bose said when asked whether the government has taken any decision regarding allowing the two private airlines, Air Sahara and Jet Airways, to fly to international destinations.
He said Air Sahara was 'ready' to fly on overseas routes.
At present, only the state-owned carriers, Air-India and Indian Airlines are allowed to fly on such routes.
Stating that 2003 would be the year of connectivity and frequency for Air Sahara, Bose said the 'CRJ-200' aircraft would be used to start flights to regional destinations like
Delhi-Gorakhpur-Kolkata, Ranchi-Pune, Hyderabad-Pune or even between metros during the off-peak hour times.
"We will be able to open new corridors with these small aircraft. Lots of metro connectivity will also happen, specially during afternoon when passenger traffic is less," he said, adding the airline had posted good growth in passenger traffic during 2002 which would also continue this year.
He, however, said that high and differential rates of state sales tax on aviation turbine fuel, which constitute about 30 per cent of an airline's operating costs, were acting as an hindrance to the growth of the domestic aviation industry.
© Copyright 2003 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
|