Air India to get its first fuel-efficient A320Neo aircraft this week

New Delhi: After a delay of about one month, Air India is all set to induct the first A320Neo aircraft into its fleet this week, which will make it the third domestic carrier to have this latest single-aisle plane from Airbus.

At present, two domestic carriers --IndiGo and GoAir -- operate the fuel-efficient A320Neo planes in their fleet.

The national carrier has plans to induct a total of 29 A320 new engine option (Neo) into its fleet by March 2019.

While Air India has already tied up with three lessors -- ALAFCO, GECAPS and CIT -- for leasing of 22 planes, the process to select a bidder for the remaining seven such planes is underway.

"Our first Airbus A320Neo plane of the 14 such aircraft being leased from ALAFCO of Kuwait will arrive here on Wednesday from Toulouse," an Air India official said today.

The induction of the new fuel-efficient aircraft into its fleet is aimed at augmenting the capacity in the domestic market which is growing at a rate of over 20 per cent for nearly two years now.

The maker of A320Neo, European aviation major Airbus claims that these planes burn 15 per cent less fuel than the existing model.

As per original schedule, Air India was to receive three such planes in this fiscal with two of them being in January itself.

"The deliveries have now been rescheduled and we will be getting two of these planes this month and the remaining one in March," the official said.

In the next fiscal, Air India would be taking delivery of another 15 A320Neo planes, the official added.

Air India plans to deploy its first 162-seater, two-cabin class A320Neo on the key Delhi-Chennai route, the official said, adding routes for the remaining two planes were being worked out.