The full service airline to be launched by Tatas and Singapore Airlines has decided to acquire 20 Airbus A-320s on lease, informed sources said on Thursday.

The start-up airline plans to launch its flights by July, subject to regulatory approvals, and the planes are likely to start getting inducted weeks before that, industry sources said.

When contacted, a Tata Group spokesperson told PTI: "we have decided to lease 20 Airbus A-320s and these aircraft will be leased and not purchased."

Industry sources said the Tata-SIA decision to lease A-320 aircraft is understood to have been taken given the competition prevalent in the Indian aviation industry, where several airlines ranging from Air India to IndiGo operate these aircraft.

There is also an inventory of A-320 in the market, apart from trained pilots, they said.

According to the list price of this aircraft, purchase of 20 such planes would cost over USD 1.8 billion. However, the Tata-SIA would be leasing these aircraft and purchasing them.

(You need to login first to read complete news).
New User? Register for FREE!
» Back to Travel News