Under The Tatas, Air India Express Has Become A Jumbo Airline

(MENAFN- Live Mint) In January 2022, when the Tata group took over Air India and Air India Express, the low-cost subsidiary largely restricted to Gulf routes had a fleet of 26 aircraft, all B737-800NGs. While the group has invested in merging its four airlines to form two airlines, one full service and one low cost, Air India Express has nearly quadrupled its fleet to cross 100 planes. Air India Express is the third airline in India to have a triple-digit fleet, with the other two being IndiGo and parent Air India. This makes Air India Express one of the fastest-growing airlines.

From 26 to 100

What started as an all-Boeing airline at the time of take-over is today a mix of both Airbus and Boeing. Airbus took not only from erstwhile AirAsia India but also from parent Air India, which has so far passed on 11 all-economy aircraft to the airline, including some A320neo, an indicator that the plan of adding capacity with Air India Express is here to stay. Of the 102, the airline has 25 A320ceo, 13 A320neo, 26 B737-800 and 38 MAX 8 from Boeing.

Also Read: 3 years of Air India under the Tatas: The hits and misses of Maharajah

The airline's next step will be two-pronged. The first is to convert its dual-class fleet with multiple LOPA to a standard single-class offering. The second would see the airline phase out older planes, both Airbus and Boeing, and work towards having a fuel-efficient modern fleet, which will help it compete better with other low-cost carriers, starting with IndiGo.

The airline received its first MAX 8 in October 2023 and was supposed to induct 50 in 15 months. However, it could induct only 38 MAX 8 and not 50 as Boeing went from one crisis to another, including a strike from the machinists union, which led to the work stopping. While Air India Express planes were all white tails and not new, the strike meant that deliveries had halted, impacting the airline.

MENAFN19022025007365015876ID1109223823