PM to launch new fleet of Air India tomorrow

NAGPUR: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will launch the new fleet of Air India in New Delhi on Saturday, Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Friday.

Five aircraft out of 111 purchased by the government for domestic and international flights have been delivered and rest will be inducted gradually, Patel told.

Airbus and Boeing both will by supplying new aeroplanes, he said. The new aircraft will be pressed into service into Mumbai-New York non-stop flight from August 1.

Patel said his ministry was coming out with a concept of regional airlines which will cater to non-metro cities and a notification would be issued within another 15-days.

With this the process of launching regional airlines would commence where aircraft with 80 seats and below would be allowed to operate.

The regional airlines would be offered aviation fuel at four per cent taxes and no landing charges would be levied on them. This will enable the regional connectivity, he added.

On progress of proposed multi-modal international passenger and cargo hub in the city, Patel said he had sought a meeting with Maharashtra government and sent a communication to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. A meeting is expected shortly, he added.