AirIndia's present/future fleet...

[AA 1818]

IIRC, AI's fleet of the future will consist of:

747-400s
777-300s
777-200LRs
787s
A321s

737-800s (for AirIndia Express)
A310s (for AirIndia Cargo).

Yet currently I see that we have a few oddballs in the fleet -

A330-200s (from Novair)
757-200s (from Golden Air of Turkey)
767-300s (from Globespan)

OK - so as for the last 3 mentioned - are they going to be part of the permenant fleet? Or are they simply going to be used as part of the fleet until other aircraft arrive? Are they leased or owned? Are more leased aircraft scheduled to arrive? How many of each type is currently with AI? On what routes are they flying?

As for the 747s, I know that they are getting old and will probably need to be replaced in the future. Will the 777-300ERs do that job? Or could AI logically order some 747-8s in the future to replace the older 747-400s?

Apart from that, what will the AirIndia cargo fleet consist of? I know that the A310s are being coverted and sent to AirIndia Cargo - will the older 747s be joining that fleet soon?

And what will become of the Airbus fleet from Indian Airlines? And the older 737s (the 737-200s) from Alliance Air? Will those be converted to freighters?

[LUNN]

AI also will get IC A319 and A320 orderd fleet, Alliance Air 737-200 being converted to cargo, only two 747-300 Combi will be convetred to cargo.

A332, 757, 767 will go as new aircraft arrive. A340 are also expected to be leased.

ATR 42-500 of Alliance are also part of merger fleet.

[Foxtrot]

Re:

IIRC, AI's fleet of the future will consist of:

747-400s
777-300s
777-200LRs
787s
A321s

737-800s (for AirIndia Express)
A310s (for AirIndia Cargo).

Yet currently I see that we have a few oddballs in the fleet -

A330-200s (from Novair)
757-200s (from Golden Air of Turkey)
767-300s (from Globespan)

OK - so as for the last 3 mentioned - are they going to be part of the permenant fleet? Or are they simply going to be used as part of the fleet until other aircraft arrive? Are they leased or owned? Are more leased aircraft scheduled to arrive? How many of each type is currently with AI? On what routes are they flying?

As for the 747s, I know that they are getting old and will probably need to be replaced in the future. Will the 777-300ERs do that job? Or could AI logically order some 747-8s in the future to replace the older 747-400s?

Apart from that, what will the AirIndia cargo fleet consist of? I know that the A310s are being coverted and sent to AirIndia Cargo - will the older 747s be joining that fleet soon?

And what will become of the Airbus fleet from Indian Airlines? And the older 737s (the 737-200s) from Alliance Air? Will those be converted to freighters?

The last three types are only temporary as they have all been wet/dry-leased. AI only has one 332 which was originally leased by IC before the merger for its own plans to start service between India and the U.K. (specifically London), of course it's now leased for the same by the new AI. It'll use the lone 332 for starting new service between BOM/DEL and ICN/KIX. AI has postponed its plans to start Australia service for which the 332s were initially to be used. There is another 332 supposedly coming into the fleet (IC had leased 2), but what its status is I don't know right now.

The 752 and the 3 763s are being used for regional/mid-east/SE Asian flights for the time being, replacing the aging 313s that are now being converted to freighters for AI Cargo.

From what I've read in the news so far, the plans for the long-haul fleet: AI has ordered the 772LR and the 773ER, both of which have nonstop India-U.S.-India capability, but the 200LRs will be used most often for new nonstop India-U.S. services (including BLR-SFO which has been announced already), while the 300ERs will be used for the work the 744s currently do, and should be seen on routes like BOM-FRA-BOM, BOM-LHR-BOM and more Europe connections. Later on, the 788s should replace the 332s for SE Asian and (likely) Australia flights. The 787 will easily enable AI to go nonstop between India and Australia. For future fleet plans, AI is looking at the 388, but I wouldn't rule out the 748I.

AI Cargo will get most of the 313s that AI currently has, if not all of them, ad the old 732s of IC and Alliance Air will be transferred to AI Cargo as well for freighter ops. I doubt the old 743s will go to AI Cargo, though it's a possibility since they're part-cargo anyway and if the demand is seen, they just might get converted to full freighters, but for now the plans don't call for it and the 742s have already been retired, with most of them getting scrapped.

As for your question about IC's Airbuses (both current and on order), they're now part of AI's fleet. You may have seen that the new 321-200 delivered came in the new AI c/s.

AI has recently announced plans for its own Euro hub, which is interesting as 9W has announced it will set up its own Euro hub at BRU, which is well underway.

AI no longer has plans to lease (much less buy) any 340s, it had wet-leased one of 9W's 343Es, which had been leased from SAA.

[AVLWATCHER]

I believe Air India is in discussion to acquire a few 380s. Those and the 77Ws would eventually replace the 747s. I personally think they should order a few 747-8i's.

[aca_srbija]

Was it AI who were to start flights to MEL from early 2008?

Also, im intrested to know if AI intends to place a bid for Serbian carrier JAT. Recently i read about the possibility of AI buying another Serb airline, Aviogenex. Is AI looking into a big expansion into Europe or another destination as a stop-over point enroute to North American destinations?

[arifpal]

AI is contemplating on whether to order A380's or 748I to replace their 744s. Decision should be coming up in the coming few weeks.

[Foxtrot]

Re:

Was it AI who were to start flights to MEL from early 2008?

Also, im intrested to know if AI intends to place a bid for Serbian carrier JAT. Recently i read about the possibility of AI buying another Serb airline, Aviogenex. Is AI looking into a big expansion into Europe or another destination as a stop-over point enroute to North American destinations?

AI was looking at acquring a stake in JAT, but that didn't really materialize at all. Currently AI isn't looking at bidding for any Serbian airline.

As I've already stated, AI is looking into setting up a hub somewhere in Europe for transiting pax.

[aca_srbija]

AI was looking at acquring a stake in JAT, but that didn't really materialize at all. Currently AI isn't looking at bidding for any Serbian airline.

As I've already stated, AI is looking into setting up a hub somewhere in Europe for transiting pax.

oh ok. thanks Any idea as to possible future Euro hubs for AI? AMS? BRU?

[Foxtrot]

Re:

^If my hunch is right it will likely be FRA, reason being AI has already set up an operation whereby flights go back and forth between BOM/DEL and EWR/JFK/ORD etc, and the timings have been kept to where pax flying to FRA from the U.S. or India can connect to flights to BOM/DEL and vice-versa. That and AI now joining Star, its codesharing with LH etc. So my best guess would be FRA as its Euro hub, LHR is too congested already so I don't see that happening anytime soon. Another possibility is CDG, although it doesn't make sense from AI's perspective.

[aca_srbija]

^If my hunch is right it will likely be FRA, reason being AI has already set up an operation whereby flights go back and forth between BOM/DEL and EWR/JFK/ORD etc, and the timings have been kept to where pax flying to FRA from the U.S. or India can connect to flights to BOM/DEL and vice-versa. That and AI now joining Star, its codesharing with LH etc. So my best guess would be FRA as its Euro hub, LHR is too congested already so I don't see that happening anytime soon. Another possibility is CDG, although it doesn't make sense from AI's perspective.

ok. sounds logical.

any idea if any Indian company are to open flights to MEL shortly?

[Foxtrot]

Re:

^AI has plans to eventually start service between India and Australia, but for now they have been put on hold. AI also has plans to operate between BOM and JNB, but that too has been postponed. Unless AI acts soon, 9W just might beat AI with its own plans to start service to/from both, South Africa and Australia.

[aca_srbija]

^AI has plans to eventually start service between India and Australia, but for now they have been put on hold. AI also has plans to operate between BOM and JNB, but that too has been postponed. Unless AI acts soon, 9W just might beat AI with its own plans to start service to/from both, South Africa and Australia.

Im not too sure about 9W. Well i know they will add a couple N/American destinations by the end of the month, followed by some Gulf destinations by the end of the year, so maybe next year they will announce Australia, maybe possibly upgrading the ac on DEL-SIN and continuing the flight to MEL/SYD??? Maybe it is better for them to expand abit in Europe before they commence flights to Australia and try and attract transfer passengers. Has 9W expressed intrest in Australia?