Lok Sabha Question No. 178 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-02
Subject: Expansion of Air India Fleet
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: CHANDRAKANT RAGHUNATH PATIL, SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH, GOWDAR MALLIKARJUNAPPA SIDDESHWARA

:

178.

SHRI CR PATIL SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH SHRI G.M SIDDESHWARA

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 178 (To be answered on the February 2017) 2nd

## EXPANSION OF AIR INDIA FLEET

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be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government recently has taken a decision to include 35 new aircrafts in the fleet of Air India and to revive the same; if $0, the details thereof;

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- (b) whether Air India proposes t0 increase its fleet of aircraft in the near future, if so, the details thereof; including the estimated cost Of purchase and the details of aircraft purchased by Air India during the last three years with the expenditure made for the same; along
- (c) the existing strength of aircraft with Air India and the number Of them are under maintenance, category-wise;
- (d) the number of aircraft are 0n lease/ contract basis and whether maintenance cost is to be borne by the lessor and if not; the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether Air India aircraft are older in comparison to foreign airlines and private demestic airlines, if s0, the details thereof and the taken by the Government for the replacement of these aircraft? steps

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Jayant Sinha)

(a) Air India (AI) has signed agreements for lease of 14 A320 NEO aircraft in March; 2016, 3 A320 NEO aircraft in October, 2016 and 5 A320 NEO in November, 2016. These 22 aircraft will be delivered bet ween February, 2017 and February, 2019. dry

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i. AI's 50 range aircraft 8 B777-200LR + 15 B777-300ER + 27 B787 ii. Erstwhile Indian Airlines 43 4320 family aircraft 19 A319 + 4 A320 + 20 A321 long

AI has taken delivery of 104 aircraft out 0f the combined total 111 aircraft ordered by AI, erstwhile Indian Airlines and Air India Charters Ltd.in 2005. The details of the same are as follows:

iii. Air India Charters Ltd. 18 B737s

- (b) AI has floated tender for induction of 7 A320 NEO aircraft on lease basis. The cost of purchase of aircraft by AI during the last 3 years and the expenditure is as follows: dry
- (c) The details of A's current fleet strength as on January 2017 is given in Annexure-I As on 30.01.2017, there are 04 (four) Airbus A320, 01 (one) Airbus A319, 03 (three) B787, 02 (two) B777 and 01(one) B747 are under maintenance apart from the aircraft under scheduled maintenance:

2014-15 Rs. 3,822.84 crores

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- (d) The details of aircraft on lease and sale & lease back is given at Annexure-I. Presently, 05 4320 and 03 4319 aircraft are inducted on lease basis. In the lease, all the maintenance costs are borne by the lessee and not lessor. This is a standard practice world-over. dry dry dry
- (e) A320 aircraft are more than 20 years of age: The B747-40s are also more than 20 years old. The average age of the AI fleet is given in Annexure II: No,

AI is progressively phasing out the classic old A320 aircraft simultaneous to new A320 NEO aircraft induction.

AI's B747-400 aircraft are being operated in the AI fleet primarily to fulfill Government's requirement for VVIP aircraft operations Replacement of these aircraft will be based on the finalization of alternate new aircraft for the same.

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## Air India Limited Fleet (Ason 30JAN2017)

|                            | Owned   | Leased Aircraft   | Leased Aircraft   | Total   |
|----------------------------|---------|-------------------|-------------------|---------|
| Aircraft type              |         | Sale & Lease Back | Lease Dry         |         |
| Operational Fleet          |         |                   |                   |         |
| Wide Body                  |         |                   |                   |         |
| B777-2O0LR                 | 3       |                   |                   | 3       |
| B777-300ER                 | 12      |                   |                   | 12      |
| B747-400                   | 3       | 2                 |                   | 5       |
| B787-800                   | 2       | 21                |                   |         |
| Wide Body Total            | 20      | 23                |                   | 43      |
| Narrow Body                |         |                   |                   |         |
| A320                       | 19      |                   | 5                 | 24      |
| A319                       | 19      |                   | 3                 | 22      |
| A321                       | 20      |                   | 0                 | 20      |
| Narrow Body Total          | 58      |                   | 8                 | 66      |
| Air India Express B737-800 | 17      |                   |                   | 23      |
| CRJ-7O0                    |         |                   |                   |         |
| ATR42                      | 0       | 0                 | 3                 |         |
| ATR72                      |         | 0                 | 8                 | 8       |
| Alliance Air Total         |         | 0                 | 14                | 14      |
| Total Operational Fleet    | 95      | 23                | 28                | 146     |

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Annexure ! OPERATING PASSENGER FLEET AND AVERAGE AGE

| AIRCRAFT TYPE   | TOTAL FLEET (INCL LEASED)   | As on 30-Jan-17 AVG AGE(Yrs:)   |
|-----------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
| Wide Body       |                             |                                 |
| B777-2OOLR      | 3                           | 7 . 5                           |
|                 | 12                          | 7 . 9                           |
| B787-800        | 23                          | 2 . 9                           |
| B747-400        | 5                           | 21 .9                           |
| AIl Wide Body   | 43                          | 6.8                             |
| Narrow Body     |                             |                                 |
| A-321           | 20                          | 8.2                             |
| A320            | 24                          | 17.2                            |
| A319            | 22                          | 8.6                             |
| AlI Narrow Body | 66                          | 11.61                           |
| Air India       | 109                         | 9.7                             |

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