Air India will continue to retain its fleet of retired Airbus A319 aircraft for the next few months, despite withdrawing them from regular commercial operations. The Tata Group-owned airline is keeping the aircraft available as operational backups while the process of selling them moves forward.
According to people familiar with the matter, Air India currently has six Airbus A319 aircraft, most of which remain in flyable condition even after being phased out of scheduled passenger services. The airline plans to use these aircraft as substitute aircraft whenever required and for pilot training until ownership is transferred to buyers.
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The decision forms part of Air India’s wider fleet modernisation programme, under which older aircraft are gradually being replaced with newer Airbus A320 family jets. The A319 is set to become the second major aircraft type to exit the airline’s fleet this year following the retirement of its Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.
Air India first inducted the Airbus A319 in 2006 and once operated around 20 of the narrow-body jets. Configured with eight business class and 114 economy seats, the aircraft primarily served domestic routes while also flying to nearby international destinations such as Dubai and Singapore.
To facilitate the disposal process, the airline has appointed UK-based aircraft marketing specialist Skytech AIC to sell the six aircraft. The company is marketing the aircraft without their CFM56-5 engines and has said they are available for immediate sale. However, sources indicated that the transaction is still some time away, allowing Air India to continue using the aircraft to support its operations until the transfer is completed.
