NEW DELHI: Switching into expansion mode, the Air India Group has decided to add 100 planes to its current fleet of 132 in the next four years. All airlines within the group — parent AI, AI Express and Alliance Air — will get more aircraft under the plan. This time the airline will opt for leasing, unlike the 111-aircraft order of UPA-I when planes were bought.

"By March 31, 2020, AI group will have 232 planes. While nine aircraft (six Boeing 787s and three B-777) are from the previous order (of 111 planes), the rest will be new orders for leasing planes. We are going to grow aggressively and fight for leadership across segments," AI chairman Ashwani Lohani told TOI.

Loss-making Air India Ltd is advancing its targets to turn profitable as it hopes cheaper fuel, an expanded fleet and greater efficiencies will help turn around the airline, two officials familiar with the development said. The state-run national flag carrier plans to induct 100 leased planes in the next four years, they said.

Merchant banker SBI Capital Markets Ltd (SBI Cap), in consultations with ministry of civil aviation, has revised Air India’s turnaround plan (TAP) and financial restructuring plan (FRP).

A day after Air India pilots threatened to go on strike over pending payments, the state-owned airline today paid the flying allowance and international layover subsistence allowance dues. With the outstanding payments being released by the management, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) decided not to resort to any industrial action as planned from May 10.

NEW DELHI: Air India has hit pay dirt with its move to link Delhi and San Francisco (SFO) with a non-stop flight, making it the only airline that flies direct on this route.

The tri-weekly connection, which was launched last December, now commands a hefty premium over the one-stop flights offered by airlines from the Gulf, Europe, America and Southeast Asia. The reason: Flyers save so much time on this connection — the journey to Silicon Valley takes just 17 hours while the return is an hour less — that they don't mind shelling out a little extra.

Coming to the defence of the beleagured Air India, government on Tuesday said that the performance of Air India has improved and it is making profit for the first time in 10 years.

“Air India’s all-time performance has increased. This year it is making profit, which is the first time in last 10 years. It is making an operative profit. Air India is doing good work,” Raju asserted.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually turned Air India One into a flying PMO. While he is known to work and hold meetings on its long flights, the teetotaller PM has ensured that everyone else on board does so too by not allowing any liquor to be served on the aircraft. "Liquor is simply not served on the PM's flights," said a highly placed source.

Air India, which has seen its operating loss fall consistently in the past few years, expects to post a "modest operating profit" for the just- concluded fiscal, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma said today.

The national carrier is implementing a turnaround plan under which it is to get an equity infusion of Rs 30,231 crore up to 2021 subject to achieving certain milestones as laid out in the plan.

After the frequent grounding of its aircraft due to rodents, Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani carried out an inspection at Delhi airport and directed the staff to ensure strict maintenance and cleanliness of the hi-lift trucks used by catering companies.

Also, staff of the government-owned airline will be restrained from eating meals in the ramp area (where the aircraft is parked during boarding). “We have also requested Delhi International Airport Ltd to provide space for a staff canteen,” said Lohani.

Managing disgruntled employees and launching new flights, including one to Washington in August, are among Air India’s priorities this financial year, the state-run airline’s chairman has said in an internal note.

Instances of strange and sometimes indisciplined behaviour by some of the airline’s employees continue to surface—the most recent being a pilot refusing to fly till he had his choice of co-pilot.

National carrier Air India has suspended one of its senior commanders after he refused to operate the inaugural flight on Bhopal-Mumbai route at the last minute.

Following the incident, CMD of Air India, Ashwani Lohani said that they do not tolerate such indiscipline.

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