Air India utilizing group airlines’ engineering skills for improved aircraft maintenance works

PTI, Jun 9, 2024, 2:31 PM IST

Air India, now owned by Tata Group, is leveraging its engineering capabilities within its group airlines to enhance maintenance work under its own stringent quality controls, as revealed by a senior company official. This move comes amidst multiple operational hiccups with its legacy fleet.

The official highlighted that the airline is eager to lease more aircraft. However, the market remains tight, particularly for wide-body planes. Following the Tata Group’s acquisition in 2022, the airline, historically suffering losses, has embarked on a five-year transformation journey to turnaround its fortunes.

A part of this strategy involves bringing line maintenance in-house and using the group airlines’ licensing and skills for specific aircraft types. This, the official said, ensures more work is done under stringent quality measures. A new maintenance base is also being set up in Bengaluru, expected to be operational by the end of next year.

With a systematic upgrade underway to stabilize aging Boeing 787s and 777s, Air India aims to maintain healthy aircraft standards. Delays caused by technical and operational issues with Boeing 777s have underscored the urgency for these measures. The airline is also progressing with consolidation efforts, merging AIX Connect with Air India Express and Vistara with Air India, to be completed by year-end.