Air-India and Indian Airlines will continue to take aircraft through the leasing route till its fleet acquisition comes through and have decided to take nine more planes by December.
While A-I is expecting two 747-400s (including one for VVIP flights) and two A310s by October to expand operations to the Gulf, US and introduce flights to Shanghai, IA will get five A310 by December to expand its operations.
A-I board is yet to take a decision on fleet acquisition even as IA was waiting for the Public Investment Board's nod for the purchase of 41 Airbus aircraft.
"We are yet to decide the date for the A-I board meeting," IA chairman and managing director Sunil Arora, who took over on August 2 as A-I managing director, told newspersons in New Delhi on Tuesday.
A-I commercial director said two flights to Bangkok would be extended to Shanghai early December while two more 747 services would be added to Newark by October, making it a daily service.
Besides, he said three services would be reintroduced to Chicago via Frankfurt instead of London.
Arora said A-I had sufficient routes in its "kitty" but was handicapped because of capacity.
About introduction of low cost airline from Cochin, Arora said, "He was yet to discuss this with A-I officials".'
On route rationalisation and recommendations of the Subramanian Committee regarding operations to the Gulf, Arora said he had conveyed to the panel that both A-I and IA should see wider competition from foreign carriers rather than compete with one another.
