Air India to add extra capacity in domestic sector

Air India said that it will also induct five new A320 aircraft on lease from February 2015 onwards.

New Delhi: With aviation capacity coming under strain, national carrier Air India on Saturday said that it is planning to ramp up capacity in the domestic sector by inducting more aircraft.

The airline said that it will press into service a Boeing 747, 777-200LR and B777-300ER to clear the holiday rush. The airline is also planning to induct an additional Boeing 787 on the domestic routes.

Air India said that it will also induct five new A320 aircraft on lease from February 2015 onwards.

Currently, the airline has issued a tender for inducting 14 A320 aircraft in an all economy configuration from 2015 onwards in the domestic sector.

The national carrier’s capacity upgrade plans come when its market share has increased by 15 per cent from 30,313 passengers a day in December 2013 to 35,100 passengers a day during the first half in the same month this year.

The airline said that similarly, on a network basis, the uplift has gone up by nearly 12 per cent from 45,100 passengers a day in 2013 to 50,500 passengers a day in 2014.