Air India has no plans to ground its newly-acquired Dreamliner aircraft despite technical glitches, but the airline may seek compensation from manufacturer Boeing for not keeping its word on fuel efficiency.
Air India has set up a committee comprising its officials and those from the Civil Aviation Ministry and Boeing to collect and analyse fuel consumption data over a period of 18 months.
The compensation package would depend upon the report of this committee, Air India CMD Rohit Nandan said on Wednesday.
"As far as fuel efficiency of Dreamliners is concerned, at the time of delivery, they were heavier than what they were supposed to be," he said. The heavier an aircraft, more is its fuel consumption.
"We took a decision that a committee shall be set up consisting of people from the government, the airline and Boeing who, over a period of 18 months, will collect and analyse data as to what is the deviation from the originally promised fuel efficiency," Nandan said on the sidelines of the Aviation India show.
"The 18-month period will be over around November this year", he said.
To questions on whether the airline would ground these planes, Nandan said, "Air India has got no such plans as of on Wednesday. It is basically for the regulator to take a view on the matter. We are quite satisfied with the quality of service we have received from this plane."
In his response, Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president (Asia Pacific and India sales) of Boeing, said, "We have got some issues there (regarding Dreamliners) and we are working with them (Air India). On Wednesday, the Dreamliner came to Hyderabad and it was absolutely a delightful and smooth flight. It is a safe airplane."
Air India, which had placed orders for 27 Dreamliners in 2006, has so far taken delivery of 13 aircraft. It is scheduled to induct another 14 Dreamliners over the next two years.
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