Jet Airways may induct 9 A330-300s planes

BEIJING: In a bid to expand overseas operations, Jet Airways is in talks with European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, for inducting nine A330-300 planes into its fleet, possibly in a year.

"We are in talks with Jet Airways for nine A330-300s and as of now we don't have a fixed timeline to deliver them. But Jet will definitely induct four of them this year, starting October," Kiran Rao, Airbus executive V-P (sales and marketing) and president Airbus (India) told ET during the 68th AGM of global airline body, International Air Transport Association (IATA). On Jet's reported interest on 100 A320 neo deal, Rao said, "We are in talks, but let rumours remain rumours on this."

With the civil aviation ministry ending Air India's monopoly over bilateral traffic rights, allowing all Indian carriers to utilise these, Jet Airways has sought government permission to expand its international services to 518 flights per week by winter of 2012 from 370 at present.