Mumbai: Air-India (A-I) has taken three Boeing 777s on lease for a five-year period, beginning December.

The 777-200 ER (Extended Range) are to be used for three additional flights to Los Angles and three terminator services to London, A-I sources said in Mumbai today (Oct 14, 2004). While the first aircraft is due to arrive in December, the other two twin-engine long range 300 seater jets are expected in March-April, they said.

The proposal was cleared by a three-member A-I board appointed by Empowered Committee at a meeting in Delhi on Tuesday (Oct 14, 2004).

Commanders for this type of aircraft are to be sourced from abroad, while co-pilots, who would be recruited from within the organisation, are to be trained to fly these planes.

Meanwhile, A-I would shortly evaluate bids for two Boeing 47 Combis, even as it has extended the deadline for receiving of offers for 11 Boeing 737-800s to October 19.

These aircraft are for its full-owned subsidiary Air-India Charter Ltd, which would operate the low-cost carrier, Air-India Express Ltd.

The operations of the no-frills airline, which is slated to provide services to Gulf and Far East, are scheduled to be launched from April 2005, they said.