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Ashwini Phadnis

MUMBAI, Jan. 25

THE top brass of Air Sahara is meeting in Lucknow over the next few days to finalise plans for the lease of up to eight 50-seater regional jet aircraft.

Confirming the development, the airline's Chief Executive Officer, Mr U.K. Bose, said that the meeting would chalk out plans of how many jets should be acquired, where they would be stationed and the routes on which they should be deployed, among others.

"A clearer picture on the regional jet operations will emerge in the next few days once the meeting in Lucknow is over. The only thing which can be said right now is that the airline is keen to see the project take wings by April this year,'' Mr Bose said.

The airline plans to acquire the aircraft on dry lease for long periods of time, which the airline staff said would be firmed up after the meeting. The airline already has a mixed fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft and helicopters.

Air Sahara is to approach the handful of manufacturers such as Embrarer and Bombardier, among others, in order to negotiate the best possible deal.

The arrival of the aircraft will help the airlines provide greater air connectivity between smaller towns and larger cities.

Meanwhile, with the recent induction of three Boeing 737-700 aircraft, the airline is to launch several new routes in the next few days including a daily service on the Kolkata-Hyderabad-Bangalore and return sector and another flight on the Kolkata-Mumbai sector.

In December, the airline had launched more services on the Bangalore-Mumbai and Mumbai-Goa sectors. It is hopeful of getting an additional Boeing 737-700 aircraft next month, according to Mr Bose.

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