Air India Saved Over Rs 1,400 Crore on Fuel Costs Over 6 Years: Report

Air India is estimated to have saved over Rs 1,400 crore on fuel costs over six years by phasing out fuel-guzzling aircraft and undertaking innovative measures like flying planes at a particular cruise altitude and speed, according to top airline officials.

"The fuel savings which Air India has been able to achieve from September 2008 to March 2014 is nearly Rs 1,400 crore which approximated seven per cent saving over the benchmark year (2008) on a cumulative basis," they said.

Air India's aviation fuel cost comprises about 38 per cent of its total expenditure.

Till March 2013, Air India achieved fuel savings to the extent of 261 million tonnes and carbon emission reduction of 822.13 million tonnes, estimates showed.

The national carrier also phased out its fuel-guzzling Airbus A-310-300 aircraft and reduced its utilisation of the Boeing B-747-400 jumbo and B-777-200LR fleet.

The routes flown by these aircraft are being increasingly flown by the fuel-efficient B-777-300ERs, the Dreamliner B- 787s and B-737-800s, the officials said.

Air India is implementing a new Flight Planning System which provides precise altitude and wind profiles to determine the optimal cruise altitude for a flight.

The airline uses the flight planning software to calculate the most fuel-efficient route, depending on all parameters shown by it.

The airline had employed expertise of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to find ways and means of reduce fuel cost and manage fuel consumption.

A fuel efficiency gap analysis (FEGA) was conducted by IATA and an action plan chalked out providing targets to implement green initiatives.

The steps related to the use of ground power units instead of auxiliary power unit inside the aircraft while they are on ground, various flight techniques and management and steps to reduce aircraft weight.