The Hindu : Kerala News : Boeing support for `Air Kerala'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 30, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Boeing support for `Air Kerala'

Staff Reporter

AI decision on fleet expansion justified

FORGING A BOND: Dinesh A. Keskar says Boeing is keen on associating with the State Government's venture.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Boeing Company of Seattle, U.S., has expressed interest in helping set up a new airline called `Air Kerala' in keeping with the plans of the State Government.

The State Government is seriously thinking of floating its own airline and several cash rich non-resident Keralites have expressed their willingness to contribute to a company under a joint venture scheme.

"I have come to know that the Kerala Government is keen to start an airline and we at Boeing would only be pleased to associate with it to give all support for it by conducting studies and also providing advice," said Dinesh A. Keskar, Senior Vice-President (Sales), Boeing Company.

He was in town in connection with the launching of the Air India Express flight to Abu Dhabi from here on Friday. Dr. Keskar justified the decision of Air-India to go in for a fleet expansion, by purchasing 50 aircraft from the company. The evaluation done by Air-India before deciding to purchase Boeing aircraft for its fleet expansion was "totally fair," he said.

Advantages

The aircraft to be delivered to Air-India, namely, 787-8, 777-200 LR and 777-300 ER, have advantages such as fuel efficiency and low maintenance cost, apart from a host of new features, he told newspersons.

Declining to comment specifically on the allegations levelled by Airbus

Industries regarding the evaluation of Air-India, Dr. Keskar said Boeing offered a "complete and comprehensive package" to Air-India to make it a premium airline in the world.

Air-India is planning to purchase, subject to Government approval, 50 aircraft from Boeing at a cost of Rs. 30,000 crores. The aircraft will be made of composites, instead of the usual aluminium metal, to help save fuel to a great extent.

Dr. Keskar said that 787-8 aircraft, with 27 of them in Air-India's purchase list, would help save fuel by 20 per cent. Similarly, 777-200 LR will help save two million gallons of fuel per aircraft a year, while it will be one million gallons in the case of 777-300 ER. And, considering the highly volatile nature of fuel prices, these aircraft would prove highly economical in the years ahead, he said.

Besides, each aircraft is nearly 25 tonnes less in weight, which will facilitate carrying of more passengers and cargo and payment of lower landing fees. Moreover, the composites are anti-corrosive, which will ensure longer life to the aircraft.

Another feature is the facility to inject humidity into the aircraft, to provide a better climatic experience for the passengers on long-haul routes.

The windows are larger and they are so designed as to give a passenger seated even in the middle of the row a window-side experience.

The pressure altitude inside the aircraft will be maintained at 6,000 feet, which is found to give the passengers maximum travel comfort.

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