=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2004/05/31/f= inancial1311EDT0018.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, May 31, 2004 (AP) Official: Air India to launch low-price, no-frills airline service (05-31) 10:11 PDT BOMBAY, India (AP) -- India's flag-carrier Air India will launch a no-frills, low-budget airli= ne service called Air India Express later this year, a government minister said Monday. Federal Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told reporters in Bombay th= at fares on the service would cost an average 25 percent less than the normal Air India fare. "The Air India board decided Saturday to start a low-cost airline service to meet the growing needs of the budget-conscious traveler," Patel said. The service would be launched on routes Air India does not currently operate. It would include the Gulf and Southeast Asia, said Patel, who did not specify the locations. "We'll only provide a snack, tea or coffee on these routes, there won't = be anything more than that," he said. Six aircraft would initially be part of the service, which would later be expanded to 14 aircraft. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004 AP