Regionals next for Mandala as A320s kick off re-fleeting

Carrier begins 737 replacement effort with Airbuses, but eyes E-195 to serve small airfields

Mandala Airlines is looking to introduce regional jets as its fleet- renewal effort gets under way with the arrival of its first Airbus A320s.

The Indonesian carrier recently added its first two A320s, one on lease from AWAS and one from AerCap, and expects to take another two from the latter by early February, says a source in Mandala's operations department. When the operator takes delivery of its third and fourth A320s, it will return its two Boeing 737-400s to AerCap, he adds.

The airline also operates seven 737-200s, "four or five" of which will be retained in the near term as they can operate into smaller airfields such as Bandung on Java, Indonesia. But eventually all the -200s could be phased out "because maybe we are going to take Embraer aircraft", says the source, who confirms the airline is looking at leases on the larger capacity Embraer 195. The airline has considered the A318 but is unlikely to select it, he adds.The airline's first two A320s are ex-Eirjet aircraft, leased from AWAS on a "medium-term" contract.

Mandala Airlines' re-fleeting programme follows last year's ownership change, in which Indonesian company Cardig International bought the airline outright from the Indonesian military, and then sold a 49% stake to US-based investment company Indigo Partners. Indigo's Singapore office is headed by Lim Liang Song, who has participated in leasing negotiations.

Source: Flight International