Jet Airways orders 13 new aircraft

Jet Airways on Thursday ordered for 13 new ATR 72-500 aircraft at a cost of 238 million dollars, which will take its total ATR fleet to 21 planes. The lease agreement in this regard was signed between officials of the airline and Irish company Aircraft International Renting at the ongoing Paris Air Show.

The deliveries will begin in phases this year and would be completed by 2010. Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 8 ATR 72-500s.

In the near future, the growing ATR fleet will enable the airline to open new routes and increase frequencies across the Indian subcontinent, according to an ATR release.

"From the beginning of our ATR operations in 1999, the fleet of leased ATR 72-500s has proved itself and has played an important role in the growth of our airline's regional domestic operations and the expansion of our internal routes," Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal was quoted by the release as saying.

Stiphane Mayer, ATR CEO said: "We are satisfied that Jet Airways is confirming its confidence in ATR for development of the routes across the country (India)," it added.