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Air India will induct the first of the 27 Boeing 787 Dreamliners next month.
The Dreamliner will be inducted in the second or the third week, sources in Air India said. Around 30 pilots will be trained for flying the new plane in Singapore.
The national carrier is expected to get, at least, three of these planes this year. The Dreamliner will have Delhi and Mumbai as its operational bases. Its flying schedule has been proposed on the assumption that it would fly 4,500 hours per annum implying daily utilisation of 12-13 hours.
The aircraft, meant for long-haul flights, is light-weight and made of composite materials such as carbon fibre and is reported to be fuel-efficient, which would help Air India cut its operational costs significantly.
Raising funds
Meanwhile, the national carrier has invited merchant bankers to raise working capital loans up to up to $1 billion from overseas markets.
The move follows the Government allowing the aviation industry borrow up to $1 billion annually through the external commercial borrowing (ECB) route.
The Government approved the much-awaited financial restructuring plan (FRP) that involves Rs 30,000-crore equity infusion over the next eight-year period and a debt recast (CDR) of Rs 21,200 crore.
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