Air India Express, the low-cost subsidiary of Air India, is on a path of robust expansion, enhancing its fleet and introducing new routes to tap into the growing demand for air travel. However, the airline has postponed its plans to launch direct flights between Kolkata and Dhaka because of the political situation in Bangladesh.
The Managing Director of Air India Express, Aloke Singh stated to PTI, ‘’We have announced our operational plan for Dhaka as it is a major market for us. However, we have deferred those plans because of current ongoing conditions.’’ He also gave assurance that plans be resumed once things get back to normal. As per the initial plan, the airline plan was to launch six weekly flights on the Dhaka route in September.
Air India Express’s expansion in the Eastern Sector
Despite the delay in the plan, Air India Express remains dedicated to its commitment to widen its footprint in Eastern India. As part of its summer schedule, the airline is all set to launch international flights connecting Kolkata to Kathmandu from the start of March 2025. The airline also plans to expand its services in Kolkata and will be increasing the daily flight services from 24 to 34. The night halt capacity will also be increased from seven to nine aircraft. The focus will also be on increasing its presence in the northeastern region. Plans are there to introduce more flights to connect Dimapur to Kolkata. Moreover, more routes from Kolkata to destinations like Agartala, Port Blair, and Indore are also on the chart. Flights from Bagdogra to Hyderabad and Chennai are underway.
As part of its long-term planning, Air India Express’s goal is to widen its fleet from the current 90 aircraft to over 100 by March 2025. Further plans include adding 75 more in the upcoming three years. The airline aims to focus more on short-haul routes which cover the route in the 5.5-6 hour range, with special preference to metro cities, and tier-II and tier-III cities.
The inclusion of more international destinations like Singapore, Bangkok, Vietnam, and Colombo is also on the expansion plan. Flights to Vietnam could begin as early as the next financial year and will also explore more routes from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. Singh also underlined the airline’s plan to boost its presence in the Gulf and Middle East regions which also serves as a key market for Air India Express.
The airline fleet comprises Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s helps it to cater to emerging markets effectively. The existing network of Air India Express connects 15 international and 36 domestic destinations through 400 daily flights. The airline has a strong regional hold and a promising future in the aviation sector as its current market share has risen from 12 % to 24% when combining its parent company Air India.
(With inputs from PTI)