Tata Expands Air India Express Fleet for Regional and International Routes
The Tata Group is rapidly scaling up its low-cost carrier, Air India Express, to expand its footprint across both domestic and international markets. The airline’s fleet, currently around 90 aircraft, is projected to surpass 110 by the end of the fiscal year. This growth aligns with the airline’s focus on connecting India’s tier-2 and tier-3 cities to popular destinations in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and possibly the Far East, according to Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh.
Air India Express aims to complement the network of its sister carrier, Air India, which focuses on major metro routes. With hubs in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, Air India Express plans to provide seamless passenger transfers to Air India’s international network.
The airline has benefited from the delayed delivery of Boeing 737 Max aircraft to Chinese airlines due to geopolitical tensions, allowing it to secure some of these planes on an accelerated timeline. Over the past 10 months, 26 new Boeing 737 Max planes have been added to its fleet. In addition, seven Airbus A320 Neo aircraft will soon be inducted from Air India, with another 10 expected to follow from Vistara once it merges with Air India.
Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India Express, announced that the airline will soon expand its international network to include Bangkok, Phuket, and cities in Vietnam. Although Air India Express is expanding both domestically and internationally, future growth may increasingly focus on domestic routes to support regional connectivity.
