Air India today declared its intent to sell three of its Boeing 777s for mopping up resources to stem its liabilities, barely four months after selling five of these planes to Gulf carrier Etihad Airways. 

The airline offered three Boeing 777-200 Long Range airplanes, powered with GE 90-110 engines, for outright sale through competitive global bidding, Air India sources said a day after a meeting of its Board here. 

The long-haul global routes flown by these aircraft would now be gradually replaced by Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which Air India is inducting at a steady pace. 13 of the 27 Dreamliners the airline has ordered have already joined the fleet. 

The sale of five B-777s to Etihad in December last year was estimated to fetch over USD 335 million, which Air India plans to use to pay off its outstanding debt. 

The three B-777s being sold now have a seat capacity of 238, including eight First Class and 35 Business Class seats. 

While the commercial bids for these three five-year-old planes would be opened on May 13, the technical bids would be opened at a later date, the sources said. 

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