Tata Group, an Indian multinational conglomerate, is undergoing significant changes in its airline business. The company is consolidating its operations by merging Air India Express, the country's first international budget carrier, with AIX Connect. The merger will result in a new low-cost carrier (LCC) brand set to launch on Tuesday, October 18.
The integration plan includes a unified reservations system, harmonized service offerings, and a consolidated website and agent portal. The current fleet of 56 aircraft, which includes 23 A320s, is expected to grow by an additional 50 B737 MAX planes within the next 15 months. This expansion aims to enhance the network and increase flights on existing routes.
Aloke Singh, Managing Director of AIX Connect, revealed that more than 800 aircrew and other operational personnel are currently in training for this expansion. The entity operates approximately 2,700 weekly flights, with Air India Express responsible for about 700 of these across 44 global destinations.
The first two Boeing (NYSE:BA) 737 MAX aircraft were delivered in September and were transported by AIX's own aircrew and engineering team from Boeing's delivery airfield in Seattle to MROs in India for commercial flight preparations.
In addition to this development, Tata Group is also merging Vistara, where it holds a majority stake of 51%, with Air India. These changes are taking place amidst increasing air traffic in India's rapidly growing aviation market.
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