AIESL to sign pact with govt to provide maintenance services for B777 planes for VVIP travel
Air India subsidiary Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) is likely to sign an initial pact with the government next month to provide maintenance services for custom-made B777 planes for VVIP travel, an airline source said.
These aircraft, which will be used to fly the President, Vice President and Prime Minister, are expected to be in operations from July next year.
At present, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi fly on Air India's 26-year-old Jumbos - B747s. These planes are flown by Air India pilots.
"We are in discussion with the government for providing maintenance services to the VVIP planes. Currently all the modalities are being worked out. We are likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard in the next one month," the source said.
He said the MoU will be followed by a detailed agreement, which is expected to be in place by March.
"As part of the contract under discussion, Air India will not ...