The Hindu Business Line : Air India Express will be low-cost carrier face of new merged entity

Mumbai May 24 Air India Express will be the low-cost carrier (LCC) face of the new entity Air India, as it will be known after the completion of the merger of Air India and Indian.

"Alliance Air and Air India Express will join as one company called Air India Express, which will operate as low cost carrier on domestic as well as international routes," the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India, Mr V. Thulasidas, told presspersons as Air India Express inducted seventh Boeing 737-800 in its fleet.

This takes the fleet size of the airline to 14 aircraft, seven of which are on lease and the rest are owned by the airline.

The low-cost carrier would have 25 aircraft by next year from the existing Air India Express, including the leased ones, Mr Thulasidas said. The leased aircraft were under five-year period, he added. From Alliance Air, the LCC would have four ATRs for the time being, operating in the North East region in the country. However, plans to induct regional jets and more ATRs were also on the anvil, he said.

On the operations of the new Air India Express, he said, "It was so far exclusively international, however, future will be for both (domestic and international routes). We would compete within India with any airline and our operations will be on those routes where a low fare operation and also an aircraft of this size is justified. Where the two-class operation is required we will stick to present Indian aircraft of Airbus 320 family which will fly on all the major routes."

The 737-800 has a seating capacity for 185 passengers with one class configuration- Economy.

For cargo, Air India Cargo will be getting Boeing 737-200 range from Alliance Air, the conversion of which was already going on, Mr Thulasidas said. These aircraft will operate within India.

Registration number change on anvil

Mr V. Thulasidas said the Government was considering to change the registration number given to aircraft. All airplanes in India begin their registration with VT, which stands for Victoria Territory. This practice has been in India since pre-independence era. Meanwhile, Air India is planning to induct 13 pilots from Indian Air Force within next three months. Speaking to newspersons on sidelines of the Air India press conference, the Chief Operating Officer of Air India Express, Captain P.P. Singh said, "The pilots have to clear an exam conducted by the Director-General Civil Aviation after which they will be a part of Air India family. Around 50 pilots from IAF would be added to the airline over a period of time."

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