The Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh today launched the first Air India B787 Dreamliner at a function at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi. The fuel efficient aircraft consumes 15 per cent less fuel compared to Airbus 330 and emits less Carbon, thereby causing less pollution.

A Civil Aviation Ministry release said, Air India will get five more B787 aircrafts by December this year. Air India had signed an agreement for purchasing 68 aircrafts in December 2005. As part of that agreement, 27 Boeing 787 will be delivered to the public carrier from this year till March 2016.

Later, addressing a news conference, Mr. Ajit Singh said, despite a strike by a section of pilots, Air India has registered a 6.5 per cent hike in revenue by earning 4757 crore rupees during April to August this year as against 4467 crore rupees in the corresponding period last year.

During the same period, the expenditure has also been reduced by 268 crores rupees from the year 2011, which is about 4.4 per cent. Mr Singh informed that for the first time, since merger with Indian Airlines in 2007, Air India has made a cash surplus of 48 crore rupees during April to July this year, which is a considerable improvement against a cash deficit of 586 crore rupees during the same period last year. The Minister added that during April to July this year, Air India reduced its net losses by 557 crore rupees.