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The govt may not infuse about INR210b in the promised equity into Air India once the airline is privatised, a top official said. Air India was promised INR500b in equity infusion until 2032 by the previous United Progressive Alliance govt in 2012 to bail out the airline weighed down by accumulated losses and debt. Of that, Air India has already received nearly INR270b, including INR18b this fiscal year. An amount of IINR18b is earmarked for infusion in the carrier in the next fiscal, the year in which the airline is likely to be privatised in line with the current road-map of the govt, said a govt official. The numbers can change depending on the sale process, the official added. This will mean the new owner of the airline will not get the promised INR210b of equity. <br/>

AerCap announced 2 deals Wednesday to largely complete the renewal of EgyptAir’s equipment inventory. The carrier is to take long-term operating leases on 15 Airbus A320neo narrowbodies and 6 Boeing 787-9 widebodies. The A320neos will be delivered in 2020 and be powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines, while the 787-9s will arrive in 2019 and have Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. Both leasing deals were announced at the Dubai Air Show and followed on the heels of Nov 14’s LOI from EgyptAir for up to 24 Bombardier CS300s for its EgyptAir Express domestic and regional subsidiary. EgyptAir Holding chairman and CE Safwat Musallam said the airline’s studies forecast a rise in traffic in both Egypt and across the Middle East and that it was looking to renew its fleet with more efficient aircraft. <br/>