Air India will operate small jet aircraft in domestic sectors, including Calcutta, to save on fuel. This is the first such move by the airline.

It has leased three Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) planes for short-haul flights. A CRJ700 series aircraft is expected to touch down in the city in a few weeks.

“We have incorporated the aircraft in the fleet. One of them will be operating from Calcutta,” said an Air India spokesperson on Wednesday.

“After reviewing the efficiency of the new aircraft, we will decide whether more such jets will be added to the fleet,” he added.

CRJ700 series planes are more fuel-efficient than Airbus and faster than the ATRs being used for domestic operations.

“A CRJ700 plane needs approximately 1,800 kilolitre of fuel every hour, about 400 kilolitre less than an Airbus. Being faster than an ATR, it can cover an additional destination,” said the spokesperson.

China Eastern Airlines was using a CRJ for its Calcutta-Kunming operations. It has now replaced the plane with a bigger aircraft. Low-cost carrier JetLite has CRJs in its fleet.

According to aviation industry sources, a CRJ700 can travel up to 3,600 km without stopping. Major operators of CRJ700 include American Eagle Airlines and Lufthansa CityLine.

The jet, with a capacity of 70 seats, is likely to operate on the Calcutta-Bhubaneswar-Chennai route, said an Air India official. The airline stopped the Bhubaneswar flight in mid-June for “operational reasons”. An Airbus 319 was being used for the sector.

Under the new schedule, the flight is likely to leave Calcutta in the morning and return in the afternoon. “The Chennai operation is in addition to the direct flight from Calcutta to the Tamil Nadu capital in the evening,” added the official.

Air India is using an Airbus 321 for its Delhi-Calcutta-Delhi evening flight. The new aircraft, which was introduced in the sector recently, can accommodate 180 passengers, about 35 more than an Airbus 319.

“A bigger aircraft has been deployed keeping in mind the approaching Puja tourist season,” said another official.