India’s Alliance Air seeks two ATR42-600s for dry lease

Alliance Air (India) (9I, Mumbai Int’l) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the dry lease of two new ATR42-600s with deliveries by May 2022.

The Indian regional carrier seeks to lease both aircraft for 12 years. It estimates it will use them for 2,400 flight hours and 2,400 flight cycles per year each, with an average sector length of 350 kilometres. It is soliciting bids from parties owning at least ten aircraft. Bidders must demonstrate they already have the assignment rights for the aircraft and the confirmation of delivery slots in time for a May 2022 service entry. The airline did not specify its budget but reserved the right to sub-lease both aircraft for “limited periods”.

Alliance Air requires that the turboprops be configured for up to 48 passengers in a single-class layout with a 30-inch seat pitch and ATR’s “Armonia” cabin.

Bidders have until November 16 to submit their offers.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows the Air India subsidiary currently operates eighteen ATR72-600s under the Air India Regional brand, using its own “9I” code but under a code-share with Air India. In the past, Alliance Air operated seven ATR42-300s. The last of these was retired in March 2020, the ch-aviation fleets history module highlights. Recently, the carrier confirmed plans to lease two Do228s from Hindustan Aeronautics.

Alliance Air remains a subsidiary of the flag carrier pending the completion of its privatisation but was not included in the process. As such, once Tata Group acquires Air India, Alliance Air will become a stand-alone state-owned carrier. The government said it would explore options to separately sell the regional carrier going forward.