Air India Express on track to add 50-60 aircraft in 12-18 months

Air India Express is set to significantly expand its fleet, aiming to induct 50 to 60 new aircraft within the next 12 to 18 months. This ambitious plan remains on track, according to airline chairman Nipun Aggarwal, despite facing industry-wide challenges. The airline's fleet has already seen substantial growth, more than quadrupling from approximately 25 aircraft three years ago to over 100 currently. Aggarwal indicated that aircraft deliveries are expected to accelerate, with the airline anticipating receiving more than 50 aircraft by the end of next year.

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Between now and the end of next year, we should be getting 50-plus aircraft, if not more. That was the plan, and that remains on track

Aggarwal also confirmed that Air India Express will be among the first operators of the Boeing 737 MAX 10, the largest variant in the 737 MAX family, once it receives certification. This move is part of the airline's broader fleet modernization efforts following the Tata Group's acquisition of Air India in 2022. The airline has been actively harmonizing its fleet and enhancing its product offerings.

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All in all, with the order that we have, we should be getting 50-60 aircraft deliveries in the next 12 to 18 months

While the transformation journey has encountered setbacks due to unforeseen circumstances such as supply chain disruptions, geopolitical developments, and delayed aircraft deliveries, Aggarwal expressed optimism. He acknowledged that external events, which were impossible to forecast, have impacted the pace of transformation, particularly concerning fleet retrofitting. However, he assured that core aspects like branding, fleet modernization, investment in Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO), and the training academy are progressing as planned. The airline has also been working to restore its operations, with approximately 90% of its West Asia services back online after disruptions related to the Iran-US conflict.

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The industry has gone through several challenges, and we have been hit by multiple black swan events, which I do not think anybody could have forecasted when we started this transformation journey.

As part of its fleet modernization, Air India Express expects to complete the harmonization of its narrow-body fleet by March of next year. The retrofit of the Air India Dreamliner fleet is slated for completion by mid-next year, while the retrofitting of Boeing 777 aircraft is expected to take longer. The airline has recently launched new routes, including flights from Abu Dhabi to Navi Mumbai, Indore, and Lucknow, with more routes to Guwahati planned.

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...we are very optimistic. It may take a little longer, but we will get there