Air India Express

Air India Group expects 50-60 new planes in 18 months: Nipun Aggarwal

Air India Group expects to get 50-60 new aircraft in the next 18 months and the transformation programme is on track even as the airlines' industry has been impacted by multiple black swan events, according to a senior executive. Loss-making Air India was acquired by Tata Group in January 2022 and the airline is in the middle of an ambitious transformation plan. Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India and Chairman of Air India Express, said there have been "tonnes of learning" in the last few years and that it was a complex as well as challenging" project. "I think this industry itself has gone through several challenges. And we have been hit by multiple black swan events, which I don't think anybody could have forecasted when we started this transformation journey. "The supply chain issues, the airspace issues, the oil price volatility, and the geopolitical issues," he said. Aggarwal, who spoke after a panel discussion in Abu Dhabi on July 15, said the group was dea

Air India, AI Express planes come face-to-face on runway at Mumbai airport

Two Air India and Air India Express planes came face-to-face on the same runway at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday evening, with the Air India aircraft aborting its take-off run on the air traffic controller's instructions to avert a possible disaster, sources said. The incident took place at around 10 pm. The Air India Express plane was yet to vacate the runway after landing when the Delhi-bound Air India aircraft was preparing to take off from the same runway, the sources said. In a statement, an Air India spokesperson said the take-off run was aborted following instructions from the air traffic controller. Specific details were not disclosed. Air India flight AI816 from Mumbai to Delhi was to be operated with a wide-body Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, while the Air India Express flight AIX1547 that landed from Siliguri was operated with the narrow-body Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane, the sources said. "The crew operating flight AI816 from Mumbai to Delhi on July 7 discontinued the take-off

Air India Express to open bookings for inaugural flight to Abu Dhabi

Air India Group's low-cost arm Air India Express is set to start international flights from greenfield Navi Mumbai Airport to Abu Dhabi on July 15, with the opening of bookings for the inaugural flight likely to be announced on Saturday, according to a source. On June 17, Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL) chief executive officer BVJK Sharma told the media that the airport was looking to start international operations for passengers and freight services from July 15. The Adani Group-owned Navi Mumbai Airport, in which the Maharashtra government's urban planning and infrastructure development agency Cidco also holds a 26 per cent stake, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year. It commenced domestic commercial operations on December 25, 2025. Air India Express is set to start its international services from NMIA to Abu Dhabi on July 15, and the bookings for the airline's new overseas services are set to be opened from today, making it the first

AI Express flight from Kannur to Jeddah returns due to technical snag

An Air India Express flight bound to Jeddah from Kannur returned within two hours of the flight on Tuesday due to a technical issue, airport sources said. The aircraft with over 180 passengers took off at 7.40 am from Kannur airport, but around two hours into the flight, the pilots found a technical issue and decided to return, the sources said. "The flight landed safely in Kannur. We will know what the problem is hereafter," they said.

Successor will have 'hands full': Air India CEO amid operational challenges

Air India, which has reported heavy losses, has also faced a series of safety lapses

Air India begins op to Ludhiana's Halwara airport with daily Delhi flights

Air India will operate two daily flights between Delhi and Ludhiana using its A320 family aircraft

Air India CEO search narrows to Singapore Air exec Kannan, insider Aggarwal

The choice of a new CEO comes at a crucial time for Air India, which is grappling with heavy losses, heightened regulatory scrutiny after a deadly crash last year

Right time to hand over reins for Air India's growth: Campbell Wilson

Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson on Tuesday told the staff that it was the right time to hand over the reins for the airline's next phase of growth. Wilson, who has decided to resign, has been at the helm for four years since mid-2022 and will remain with the airline to ensure a smooth succession. "I am incredibly proud of what you have achieved, especially in the face of unprecedented headwinds in the form of aircraft delivery and supply chain challenges, two wars, crippling airspace closures and fuel prices and, most acutely, tragedy," Wilson said. He said that it was the right time to hand over the reins of the airline. "With a brief window until bulk deliveries from the nearly 600-strong aircraft order book commence in earnest from 2027, the time is right for me to hand over the reins for the next phase of Air India's rise," Wilson said. The loss-making airline, acquired by the Tata Group from the government in January 2022, has been facing various headwinds

Air India revises fuel surcharge on domestic, int'l routes amid rising cost

Distance-based charges now apply on domestic flights, with higher surcharges on international routes amid rising jet fuel costs from supply chain disruptions

Air India and Express to operate 20 flights to and from West Asia today

All Air India flights to and from North America, Europe, Australia and other regions continue to operate per schedule

Air India to run 22 flights to West Asia on March 27 amid high demand

All other Air India flights connecting to North America, Europe, Australia and other global regions will operate as scheduled

IndiGo appoints former Air India Express MD Aloke Singh as CSO from April 6

IndiGo has appointed former Air India Express MD Aloke Singh as chief strategy officer from April 6, as the airline navigates leadership changes and expansion plans

Check unnecessary expenses, Air India CEO tells staff amid West Asia war

The Air India Group has been significantly impacted by the Middle East conflict and the financial impact is "yet to be fully felt", according to Air India chief Campbell Wilson, who has also stressed the need for having a tighter-than-ever control of unnecessary expenditure. Loss-making Air India and Air India Express have been grappling with operational disruptions like other airlines since the start of the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran on February 28. "In the three weeks since the conflict started, we have had to cancel around 2,500 flights to the region. As of today, we can operate only around 30 per cent of our normal Middle East schedule because airports and/or airspace are closed, or are assessed to be beyond our safety threshold," Wilson said in a message to the staff on Friday. The airline's flights to the UK, Europe, and North America, are also taking longer flight paths due to airspace restrictions in the region, resulting in more fuel consumption. Wilson sa

Air India, AI Express to operate 48 flights to and from West Asia today

These flights are being operated with the requisite permissions from the relevant Indian and local regulatory authorities

Air India, AI Express to operate 80 flights to and from West Asia on Mar 14

Air India Express will also operate its scheduled services to Muscat, including one round-trip each from Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode and Mumbai

Air India, AI Express to operate 80 West Asia flights on Saturday

Air India and Air India Express will operate 80 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from the West Asia region on March 14. The ongoing conflict in the region, involving the US, Israel and Iran, has significantly disrupted flight operations. According to a statement, both airlines will operate their respective scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat on March 14 (Saturday) -- a total of 18 flights. "In addition to the scheduled services, Air India and Air India Express would operate a total of 62 non-scheduled flights to and from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, subject to availability of slots and other prevailing conditions at the departure stations at the time," it said. Air India will operate one round-trip from Delhi and two round-trips from Mumbai to Jeddah, while Air India Express will operate one flight each from Kozhikode and Mangaluru to Jeddah and back. "Air India Express will also operate its scheduled services to Muscat, including one ...

Air India, Air India Express to operate 58 flights to West Asia today

The two carriers will also operate their respective scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat with a total of 10 flights to and from Jeddah, and 08 scheduled flights to and from Muscat

Phuket airport closes runway after Air India Express plane malfunction

An Air India Express aircraft operating its Hyderabad-Phuket (Thailand) flight suffered a nose-wheel issue at Phuket Airport, the airline said on Wednesday. Authorities suspended flight operations at Phuket airport following the incident since the aircraft is stuck on the runway, sources said. The number of passengers onboard the Boeing 737-Max8 aircraft was not immediately known. "We confirm that our Hyderabad-Phuket flight on March 11 experienced an issue with the nose wheel at Phuket Airport," Air India Express said in a statement. Nose wheel is a critical component of an aircraft's landing gear system. Flight IX 938 took off from Hyderabad at 6.42 am instead of its scheduled departure time of 6.20 am, and landed at Phuket International Airport 11.40 am local time, according to flight tracking website flightradar24.com. "The crew followed all standard protocols, and guests were deplaned," Air India Express said in the statement.

Air India, AI Express to operate 60 flights to West Asia on Tuesday

Air India and Air India Express will operate a total of 60 flights to and from cities in the Middle East, including 32 non-scheduled services connecting the UAE. Amid the escalating Middle East conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, airlines are operating services in a calibrated manner as there are airspace restrictions and closures in the region. On Tuesday, Air India and Air India Express will together operate 14 flights to and from Jeddah, while Air India Express will operate 14 services to and from Muscat. "In addition to the scheduled services, Air India and Air India Express would operate a total of 32 ad hoc non-scheduled flights between Indian cities and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 10 March 2026, subject to the availability of slots and other conditions prevailing at the respective point of departure at the time," a statement said on Monday. These 32 flights will connect to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah from different Indian cities. Akasa Air sai

Air India to run 32 special flights today from UAE amid West Asia crisis

Air India and Air India Express move to bring stranded travellers home while maintaining flights to Jeddah and Muscat