NEW DELHI: Tata Group is on track to consolidate its four airlines in the New Year. Air India Express has filed the ‘second motion’ for final hearing in NCLT for merging AIX Connect (erstwhile AirAsia India) into it. The group expects the nod by March and after approval, the two airlines will operate on a single air operator certificate or licence.
The timing of the other big merger – Vistara into Air India – will depend on the latter “reaching an appropriate level”, AI MD & CEO Campbell Wilson had told TOI last September.While there’s no formal word on that merger’s timing, people in the know expect that too in 2024.
AI Express will focus more on thinner markets and tier II & III cities while AI will – apart from medium to ultra-long haul – be on routes with a larger share of premium traffic. AI Express will also provide the feed to AI hubs in Delhi and Mumbai to fill up the latter’s growing number of wide-bodies flying across the world.
AI Express CEO Aloke Singh said: “We have 62 aircraft as of now (the combined fleet of the two LCCs). In the next 12 months, we will induct 50 new Boeing 737 Max. After phasing out some planes, AI Express will have about 98 aircraft in its fleet by December.” Tatas’s record order for 470 aircraft placed last February includes 190 B737 Max for its LCC.
“While new domestic and international sectors will be added, we will first focus on consolidating and deepening our network. For instance, when we started flying to Surat, we did so from Delhi. Then quickly, we had direct flights from there to Bengaluru, Kolkata, Sharjah and Dubai. Ditto with Ayodhya. After Delhi, we announced Bengaluru and Kolkata flights to the holy city.”