Air India could look at acquiring up to 100 aircraft for meeting its requirements for a five-year period beginning 2011. A clear picture on the exact numbers is likely to emerge in the next few days after a review meeting of the fleet requirement is completed here on Wednesday.
The National Aviation Company of India (NACIL), the company into which Air India and Indian have been amalgamated, is assuming a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12 per cent in international traffic and 15 per cent in the domestic traffic as forecast for meeting its fleet requirement, sources told Business Line.
The aircraft requirement are being considered keeping in mind not only the growth in the domestic and international markets but also sixth freedom operations rights that have been given to Air India.
The sixth freedom rights allow an airline to pick passengers from a country other than its origin and carry them to a third country.
06/11/07 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line
Thursday, November 08, 2007