Air Deccan leases two planes from GE

Low-cost carrier Air Deccan is sourcing two aircraft on lease from GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) to increase its market share.

"Air Deccan has signed an agreement to lease two aircraft from GECAS to enhance our fleet," said G R Gopinath, managing director.

Declining to divulge details, Gopinath said the airline has chalked out a plan to add one aircraft a month.

GECAS is the commercial aircraft financing and leasing wing of General Electric Company with a fleet of more than 1,300 owned aircraft and offers full range of aircraft financing solutions.

"We have firmed up plans to lease 10 aircraft to meet the requirements of the industry. We have flown over one million passengers last year and are targeting four million passengers this year," he said.

Gopinath said the airline has entered in to agreement for acquiring 32 Airbus and signed for 37 brand new ATRs which are expected to join Air Deccan fleet in six years.

About launching services to international destinations, Gopinath said the airline would be interested in operations to the Middle East if the government accord approval.

"We are now planning to kick start services to smaller towns such as Mysore, Bellari, Agatthi, Jamshedpur and Puttapurthi soon," he added.

Meanwhile, another low-cost carrier Spice Jet has finalised the acquisition of two more aircraft. The fourth and the fifth aircraft, on short-term lease from Transavia, would be inducted to Spice Jet's fleet by early November.

"These aircraft will increase the number of flights operated by Spice Jet by over 50 per cent," airline officials said.

Air India is also planning to lease more aircraft to have a fleet of 50 by winter of 2006-07, while the acquisition plans for 68 new generation aircraft at a cost of $8.2 billion is awaiting Public Investment Board nod.