Air India would shortly issue tenders to lease turboprop aircraft to enhance connectivity to non-metro cities across the country, airline sources said today.
A group of officials of the national carrier is on the verge of completing a feasibility study, on how many such airplanes would be needed and on which routes they would be deployed, they added.
These new aircraft would replace at least 11 planes currently in the 33-strong fleet of Air India's wholly-owned subsidiary, Alliance Air.
The sources said the tender for leasing these planes would be out soon, as the airline was evaluating options among aircraft like Q400s produced by Canada's Bombardier Inc. and those by the French company, ATR.
The decision on acquisition of turboprop aircraft comes in the backdrop of the Civil Aviation Ministry asking airlines to enhance connectivity to tier-II and III cities.
The Airports Authority of India has also indicated that it could look at the possibility of providing concessions on landing and parking charges to enhance air connectivity to smaller towns.
