AI Express to reconfigure planes with biz class seats from April 2025

Air India Express plans to start reconfiguration of planes having business class seats from April 2025, as the airline focuses on operating narrow-body planes with only economy class seats, according to a senior official.

The Tata Group-owned airline that merged AIX Connect with itself on October 1, has rationalised its network and currently has an operational fleet of 90 planes, including over 30 aircraft with dual-class seats.

Amid supply chain woes impacting fresh aircraft deliveries, the airline has, so far, inducted 35 white-tail Boeing 737-8 planes. Their count will rise to 50 in the coming months.

Many of these white-tail aircraft have varying numbers of business-class seats.

Generally, white-tail planes are those that were originally manufactured for a particular airline and later taken by another airline.

The senior airline official said it will start reconfiguration of the aircraft having business class from April onwards.

The carrier wants to offer only economy class seats, the official added.

Currently, the carrier offers economy and business class seats. It has a fleet of around 90 aircraft -- Boeing 737 NGs, 737-8s and A320 family planes -- and the total count is expected to cross 110 by the end of this fiscal.

Air India Express will focus on connecting smaller cities and towns with metros as well as flying to new overseas destinations.

In February 2023, Tata Group-owned Air India placed orders for 470 planes, comprising 250 from Airbus and 220 from Boeing. Out of the total, 400 are narrow-body aircraft.

The merger of AIX Connect, earlier known as AirAsia India, with Air India Express, was completed on October 1, and that of Vistara with Air India will be completed on November 12.

The integration is part of Tata Group consolidating its airline business.

On Friday, Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh said the airline will focus on Tier 2 and 3 cities and towns as they are the growth engines, and the largest chunk of the market is metro to non-metro.

"On the regional short-haul international network, it will be primarily from Tier 2, 3 cities to points in the Gulf, Middle East, South East Asia and going forward, South Asia. Perhaps, Far East in a couple of years," Singh had said.

He also said the airline's network strategy is also deeply woven into the group network strategy.