The Air India Group, consisting of Air India, Air India Express, AIX Connect, and Vistara, all owned by the Tata Group, is embarking on a substantial expansion plan. They anticipate receiving a new aircraft approximately every six days on average until the conclusion of 2024. Air India’s CEO and Managing Director, Campbell Wilson, made this announcement during an event introducing Air India Express’s new brand identity.
The Tata Group assumed control of the financially struggling Air India in January 2022. Earlier in the year, Air India placed orders for 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, totaling USD 70 billion based on published list prices. Deliveries of these new planes are scheduled to commence from November this year.
Air India Express is in the process of merging AirAsia India into its operations, while Vistara will also be integrated into Air India. Vistara is 51% owned by Tata, with the remaining 49% held by Singapore Airlines.
“The difficult part of the merger has already been done…legal processes normally take 6-9 months. We are hoping it (merger) to be complete by March next year,” stated the Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh.
Air India Express intends to operate extensively across India, Asia, Southeast Asia, the Gulf, and the Middle East. Being part of the Air India Group allows them to integrate their network and provide cross-feed, with significant growth prospects, especially in the domestic and short-haul international market.
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Air India Express unveiled a new brand identity and aircraft livery, featuring orange and turquoise colors. Campbell Wilson also emphasized that market share is a result of capacity, which, in turn, depends on factors like aircraft orders and deliveries. As the Air India Express fleet expands, market share is expected to increase over time.
