Air India Express announces plans to increase its fleet and introduce new routes, while deferring direct Kolkata-Dhaka flights due to political unrest in Bangladesh
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Air India Express, the budget arm of Air India, is making significant strides in expanding its network and fleet, as it looks to capitalise on the growing demand for air travel. However, the airline has postponed its plans to start direct flights between Kolkata and Dhaka due to the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh.
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Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, confirmed the deferral of the Kolkata-Dhaka service, which was initially set to begin in September with six weekly flights. Singh explained, "As you know, the political situation in Bangladesh has led us to delay these plans. We are committed to resuming them as soon as conditions improve." Despite this setback, Singh emphasised that the airline remains focused on strengthening its presence in eastern India.
Singh further disclosed that Air India Express is preparing to increase its fleet size to over 100 aircraft by March 2025, up from the current 90. Over the next three years, the airline expects its fleet to grow to about 175 aircraft. This growth comes as part of the wider plans announced by the Air India Group to acquire 400 aircraft over the next three years.
In addition to expanding its fleet, Air India Express is set to launch new international services. The airline’s new routes will include flights to Kathmandu, set to begin in March 2025, coinciding with the summer schedule. The airline also plans to enhance its connectivity across India and internationally, focusing particularly on short-haul routes that fall within a 5.5 to 6-hour range. This includes connecting metro cities with tier-II and tier-III destinations, in a bid to cater to emerging demand.
The airline, which already operates 24 daily flights from Kolkata, is set to increase this number by 10 with the introduction of new routes and increased frequencies on existing services. Additionally, Air India Express is expanding its night halt capacity in Kolkata from seven aircraft to nine. Other expansion plans include a new flight from Kolkata to Dimapur, as well as new services to Patna.
Air India Express also aims to enhance its presence in the Gulf and Middle East regions, and is eyeing Southeast Asia as a key area for future growth. New destinations such as Bangkok, Singapore, Vietnam, and Colombo are under consideration, with potential flights to Vietnam expected to start within the next two years. The airline is also exploring opportunities in the CIS countries.
As per PTI, the airline’s overall growth is evident, with weekly flight frequencies from Kolkata and Bagdogra rising by 37%, from 168 flights last winter to over 230 this year. New direct routes from Kolkata include Port Blair, Indore, and Agartala, while Bagdogra will soon be connected to Hyderabad and Chennai.
With a fleet comprising 90 aircraft, including 61 Boeing 737s and 29 Airbus A320s, Air India Express operates over 400 daily flights, serving 36 domestic and 15 international destinations. The airline's market share in Kolkata stands at 12%, which rises to 24% when combined with parent company Air India.
(With inputs from PTI)
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