Air India Express to be low-cost domestic carrier

Bangalore: With Alliance Air, the low-cost subsidiary of Indian being phased out in Air India-Indian merger, Air India is set to utilise its own budget airline ‘Air India Express’ as a ‘dedicated’ low-cost domestic carrier. This, rather than just a hop-on, hop-off service, could start the latest by October, according to Air India Chairman and Managing Director V. Thulasidas.
Air India Express, which has been Air-India’s value-for-money service providing connectivity on the short-range routes, with just one class (economy) of seats, already offers flights to major international destinations within a distance of around four hours from different cities in India. Most of the flights are quick-turnaround services with a ground time of around one hour at the respective destinations. Air India now wants to compete with the budget airlines using its reach and by route rationalisation.
According to Mr. Thulasidas, Air India is evaluating two routes — Thiruvananthapuram-Delhi and Delhi-Kolkata — for starting the Air India Express domestic service. Services on other domestic routes will follow as and when aircraft are available.
02/09/07 Ravi Sharma/The Hindu

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Categories: Air india Express Sep 2007, Foreign Sep 2007, New Sep 2007