AI Express plans more international flights; to have over 110 planes by March 25

PTI, Nov 9, 2024, 1:48 PM IST

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Expanding its network and tapping group synergies, Air India Express will focus on connecting smaller cities and towns with metros as well as fly to new overseas destinations, according to senior officials.

The airline, which recently completed the merger of AIX Connect with itself, has a fleet of around 90 aircraft and the count is expected to cross 110 by the end of this fiscal.

It also aims to fly to a total of 55 destinations by the end of March 2025 and has also rationalised its network as part of Air India Group strategy. Apart from adding domestic routes, the Tata Group-owned airline will start flights to more foreign destinations, including Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, the officials said.

Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh said the airline will focus on Tier 2 and 3 cities and towns as they are the growth engines, and the largest chunk of the market is metro to non-metro.

“On the regional short haul international network, it will be primarily from Tier 2, 3 cities to points in the Gulf, Middle East, South East Asia and going forward, South Asia. Perhaps, Far East in a couple of years,” Singh said at a select media interaction on Friday.

He also stressed that the airline’s network strategy is also deeply woven into the group network strategy. As part of consolidating its airline business, Tata Group has merged AIX Connect with Air India Express and the integration of Vistara with Air India is scheduled to be completed next week.

Air India Express Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Ankur Garg said that Bangkok and Phuket are being looked at to start services. To Bangkok, the flights are likely from Tier 2 cities and to Phuket, the service could be from a metro, Garg said.

Among other destinations, the airline might also explore the possibility of flying to Malaysia, Hong Kong and CIS countries in the future.

“We don’t want to spread too thin. We want to focus on Tier 2, 3 markets from the metros. We want to provide connectivity between the full service, long haul, wide body side of the business and the domestic Tier 2, 3 cities,” Singh said.

In response to a question, he said there are no plans to have premium economy class seats in its flights. At present, Air India Express offers economy class seats and business class seats in some planes.