Air India Express and AirAsia India merger moves ahead

The merger of AirAsia India and Air India Express has been moving ahead as planned. Recently the low-cost airline AirAsia India which operates an all-Airbus 320 fleet started repainting their aircraft.

Now the first Airbus A320 from the AirAsia India fleet has officially joined Air India Express.

Soon, after the purchase of Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express the Tata Group made the decision to merge both the full-service carriers and the low-cost airlines as well.

This would then result in one premium airline and one budget carrier. The Tata’s initially bought out the original AirAsia owners.

The two low-cost airlines had recently merged their mobile application and their website into one, under the brand name AIX.

The aircraft which was transferred to Air India Express is registered as VT-ATJ which is currently 2.3 years old at the time of writing.

This A320neo was initially delivered to Air India Express on July, 2021 and then later in December 2022 the aircraft was registered under the brand name “AIX Connect”. Finally, in October 2023 the aircraft was registered with Air India Express.

This aircraft is having its first flight scheduled (with Air India Express registration of IX) with the no. IX 1613 which will depart from Jaipur airport at 11:10am IST on 10th October,2023 and will arrive at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International airport at 13:05pm IST.

This marks the beginning of addition of aircraft other than Boeing in the fleet of Air Asia India.

15/10/2023 AviationSource News

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Indian flight makes emergency landing at Karachi

Islamabad: An Indian flight operated by Express India made a medical emergency landing on Saturday at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.

According to the details, the flight, which was originally travelling from Dubai to Amritsar, declared a medical emergency at 11:47pm at Karachi airport.

There were 169 passengers on-board at the time. Upon landing in Karachi, an 18-year-old sick Indian national was examined by doctors from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Border Health Services (BHS).

After the examination, the individual was declared fit for travel. The flight departed from Jinnah International Airport at 02:25pm.

14/10/2023 Nuzhat Nazar/Business Recorder

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Air India Express To Induct 50 New Boeing 737 MAX Planes By December 2024

New Delhi: Air India Express, which is in the process of merging AIX Connect with itself, plans to induct 50 new B737 MAX planes in the next 15 months as the Tata Group bolsters its aviation business.

Besides, the combined entity of Air India Express, also the country's first international budget carrier, and AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India, will be launching its new brand on October 18.

In a message to staff this week, Air India Express and AIX Connect Managing Director Aloke Singh said key milestones, including migration to a common reservations and check-in system, have been achieved in terms of integration of the two carriers.

Currently, the combined entity has a fleet of 56 aircraft, including 26 B737, 2 B737 MAX, 5 A320 neo and 23 A320.

"Over the next 15 months, a total of 50 new B737 MAX aircraft will join the LCC fleet, allowing us to grow our network to new destinations and increase flights on existing routes," Singh said in the message.

According to him, the focus is now on the preparedness for deploying this capacity and that already, more than 800 aircrew and other operational personnel who have joined the entity are under various stages of training.

Together, the combined entity operates around 2,700 flights every week. Out of them, about 700 are operated by Air India Express and the rest by AIX Connect. They fly to 44 destinations, including 14 international ones.

The combined entity will be the Low Cost Carrier (LCC) of the Tata Group that took over the reins of Air India and Air India Express in January last year.

13/10/2023 PTI/NDTV

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Air India Express set to induct 50 new Boeing 737 MAX planes in next 15 months

Air India Express, which is in the process of merging AIX Connect with itself, plans to induct 50 new B737 MAX planes in the next 15 months as the Tata Group bolsters its aviation business.

Besides, the combined entity of Air India Express, also the country's first international budget carrier, and AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India, will be launching its new brand on October 18.

In a message to staff this week, Air India Express and AIX Connect Managing Director Aloke Singh said key milestones, including migration to a common reservations and check-in system, have been achieved in terms of integration of the two carriers.

"Over the next 15 months, a total of 50 new B737 MAX aircraft will join the LCC fleet, allowing us to grow our network to new destinations and increase flights on existing routes," Singh said in the message.

According to him, the focus is now on the preparedness for deploying this capacity and that already, more than 800 aircrew and other operational personnel who have joined the entity are under various stages of training.

Together, the combined entity operates around 2,700 flights every week. Out of them, about 700 are operated by Air India Express and the rest by AIX Connect. They fly to 44 destinations, including 14 international ones.

13/10/2023 PTI/Zoom Business

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Air India Express expands fleet with Boeing 737 MAX-8

Air India Express has taken delivery of its first two technologically advanced Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft from Boeing's Washington facility on Monday. This procurement is part of a landmark order that includes sustainability features designed to enhance passenger experience and facilitate network expansion. The 737 MAX-8 is expected to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by 20% and noise pollution by 50%.

In a strategic move, Air India Express is integrating with AIX Connect (AirAsia India), creating a joint fleet of 56 aircraft. This collaboration will enable the airline to cover an extensive network of over 250 routes across India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

In related news, United Airlines, under CEO Scott Kirby, announced on Monday an order for an additional 110 aircraft as part of its United Next plan. The plan focuses on "growth in gauge" by utilizing larger planes. The order includes Boeing 787-9s, Airbus A321neos, and over 370 Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft.

09/10/2023 Investing.com

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Air Asia transfers first A320 plane to Air India Express, says Wilson

Mumbai: Tata Group-owned AirAsia India has transferred its first A320 plane to Air India Express, marking a significant step in the process toward final merger to create a single low-cost subsidiary of Air India. 

“This transfer will be progressively followed by all other aircraft so that, eventually, our two LCCs (low-cost carriers) become one and we have full flexibility to deploy aircraft in the most optimal and efficient manner across our low-cost network,” Air India's chief executive officer & managing director Campbell Wilson told employees on Friday.

AirAsia India and Air India Express currently have 28 and 26 planes in their respective fleets. The merger of AirAsia India into Air India Express is anticipated to be completed by March next year.

Meanwhile, Wilson said Air India inaugurated a new Engineering Mega Warehouse in Delhi to store over one million aviation-related spares. The facility is spread across 53,765 sq.ft and is located near the New Delhi’s IGI airport. The warehouse in Delhi is temperature and humidity- controlled to ensure optimal conditions for sensitive aviation material, he said. 

“This world-class facility is the first of its kind for any airline in India, and is key to supporting our growing fleet and enabling the operational reliability we must achieve. Similar consolidation and upgradation will now be pursued in Mumbai to bring nearly 40 separate storage locations under one roof,” Wilson added. 

06/10/2023 Deepak Patel/Ajinkya Kawale/Business Standard

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Air India Express Added 2 New Boeing 737 MAX-8 Aircraft in Fleet

The leading carrier Air India Express on Friday added two new Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft to the fleet. As per the details shared by the airline, both deliveries have been taken at the Boeing facility in America’s Washington, which will cover the 44 destinations, and serve over 250 routes across the country.

The recent delivery is also a part of the order, which has been placed by the Air India Group with Airbus and Boing in order to expand the business model and network worldwide. To achieve the goal, the airline also expected to add more aircraft including 20 Boeing, 40 A350s, 787 Dreamliners, 140 A320 neos, 10 Boeing 777Xs, 190 Boeing 737MAXs, and 70 A321 neos.

The decision to take the deliveries has been taken ahead of the merger of AIX Connect with Air India Express. The report says once the merger is complete, the airline will work as the low-cost carrier of Air India, covering over 100 routes on the combined network, and will provide a good flying expirence to the passengers under budget.

As per the details shared by the airline, the newly added aircraft in the fleet, are more advanced in terms of technology, fuel-efficient, and best known for their remarkable comfort and performance. It also has been claimed that these two aircraft will improve the flying expirence for the passengers in the future. Also, the new aircraft will allow the company to expand its domestic and international network.

01/10/2023 News18

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