SEVERAL OF India's private carriers are moving forward with expansion plans, and acquiring additional aircraft to meet expected growth.
Sahara India Airlines is to lease an additional two Boeing 737-300s from November and has resubmitted its application to the Government to purchase five AI(R) ATR 42-500s.
The Delhi-based domestic carrier will use the aircraft to supplement its fleet of two 737-400s and one 737-200. The expansion is being undertaken to meet growing demand, fuelled by East-West Airlines' suspension of services and Modiluft's recent problems.
Plans to buy five ATR 42s are pending approval from the Reserve Bank of India. "We have been waiting for more than a year, and had to refile the entire application due to the change in the government," says Sahara. It wants to use the turboprops to feed its Bombay, Calcutta and Delhi hubs.
Sahara is also planning to lease up to seven Eurocopter AS355 Ecureuil and AS365 Dauphin helicopters. The machines will be operated between Bombay's Juhu heliport and the nearby mountain town of Amby Hills.
Skyline-NEPC is said to be planning another bid to take a small share in Modiluft, and is finalising plans to introduce three leased Airbus A310-300s (Flight International, 14-20 August).
The 737 operator says that the A310s, are scheduled to be delivered, by December and are being acquired from Airbus on a three-year lease purchase contract.
Modiluft, meanwhile, having split with Lufthansa, is in discussions with Malaysia Airlines over some form of alliance. Initial discussions centre around a marketing agreement and tie-up on spares.
Archana Airways plans to relaunch services from 17 September between Delhi, Chandigarth, Shimla and Kulu. The airline suspended services in July, after a series of accidents reduced its serviceable fleet to a single Let 410. Three more aircraft are on order for delivery by December, after which Archana plans to add Bhopal and Jaipur to its network.
Source: Flight International
