AI Express to expand virtual interline ties with foreign low-cost carriers

Air India Express plans to have more virtual interline partnerships with foreign low-cost carriers and to deepen its network.

The Tata Group-owned airline aims to carry 30 million passengers in 2025-26, higher than 20 million passengers in the current financial year ending March 2025, according to its Managing Director Aloke Singh.

Currently, the airline has a fleet of 103 planes comprising 67 Boeing 737s and 36 A320s, and operates around 485 flights daily.

Elaborating on the network strategy, he said the airline has grown significantly and the focus is to deepen the network.

Among other initiatives, Air India Express will look to have more virtual interline partnerships with foreign low cost carriers and there are six such partnerships at present, Singh said at a briefing on Friday.

The virtual interline platform 'AIX Connect' enables travellers to book self-connected itineraries between flights of Air India Express and those of the partner airline.

As it pursues growth opportunities, Air India Express expects to offer only economy class seats by the first quarter of 2026-27 financial year.

At present, there are business class seats and premium economy seats in many of its aircraft.

Singh said the retrofit of these planes will start from the next fiscal, so that they will only have economy class seats. The retrofit of these planes is anticipated to be completed in a year's time.