Air-India plans to start three new flights per week on the Mumbai-Frankfurt-Chicago route and two flights per week on the Mumbai-Bangkok-Shanghai sector. The flag carrier also plans to have additional flights to the Gulf region.

The capacity expansion drive would mean an additional 4,200 seats per week on the United States sector. A-I's capacity to the US by December 2003 would stand doubled to 20 flights per week compared with December last year. A-I has already acquired a B747-400 on dry lease and is in the process of adding another one to its fleet.

Sunil Arora, chairman and managing director of Indian Airlines, who has took additional charge as managing director of A-I on Tuesday, announced the national carrier's route expansion plans.

In his first meeting with the media after he took over from J N Gogoi, Arora said his priorities would be to increase A-I's market share and enhance the quality of services offered by the airline.

Meanwhile, Arora has asked the commercial directors of A-I and Indian Airlines to design route rationalisation programmes.

"The commercial directors of both the airlines would work towards minimising the areas of difference. The synergies between the airlines would be derived based on which the future course of action would be decided," Arora said.

Regarding the ground handling services, he pointed out that separate companies would be formed under A-I and Indian Airlines in which international joint venture partners (with around 49 per cent equity participation) would be roped in.