Air India takes delivery of sixth Boeing 787

Air India 787. Courtesy, Boeing

Indian flag carrier Air India has taken delivery of its sixth Boeing 787. The airline has 27 of the planes on order, each with 18 business and 238 economy seats.

Delivery of the aircraft, manufactured at Boeing’s South Carolina facility, was delayed because it was the same type that had encountered an engine failure during pre-flight taxi checks in July, airline sources said in Mumbai. The airline has been testing the aircraft following the incident.

Air India has reported a marked improved operational performance in the past six months, though it is not yet profitable. Its market share on domestic routes has gradually increased and it is now the third largest carrier in India, with a 20.7% market share in November. Low-cost carrier IndiGo, with a 27.3% share, and the Jet Airways group, with 25.2%, lead the market.

Air India has begun replacing its Boeing 777s with the more fuel-efficient new planes on its international routes out of Delhi and Mumbai over the past two months. The aircraft are slowly being brought into international service after being used on domestic routes initially.


atwonline.com