Two major airline mergers have been the talk of the town, both related to each other. One is the merger between Air India and Vistara to create one full-service entity, and the other is a merger between Air India Express and AIX Connect (earlier known as AirAsia India) to create one comprehensive Low-Cost Carrier. This LCC will be a subsidiary of Air India.
Air India Express and AIX Connect merged as of October 1, 2024
Air India Group has completed the operational integration and legal merger of Air India Express Ltd and AIX Connect Pvt Ltd (erstwhile AirAsia India) into a larger Low-Cost Carrier.
The formation of the merged entity, which will operate under the ‘Air India Express’ name and a unified airline code IX, marks a significant milestone in the transformation journey of Air India Group, which is merging four airlines into two.
The merger process for Air India Express was completed in less than a year since the airline’s refreshed brand was unveiled. It involved harmonising operational manuals as an enabler for the merger and transferring Air Operator Certificates (AOCs). Given the complexity of such a merger, close work was required with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), who supported and monitored the process throughout. The merger also received support from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and other key stakeholders.
On Tuesday, Vikram Dev Dutt, Director General, DGCA, handed over the updated AOC to Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, in the presence of Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Air India and Chairman, Air India Express, at the DGCA headquarter in New Delhi.
Updated AOC for Air India Express being handed over by the DGCA
A live tracker created by the Flight Standards Directorate of DGCA with a dedicated team for continuous monitoring of the progress of the harmonisation process has been instrumental in achieving the challenging task in a time-bound manner.
Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said,
About a year ago, we started the integration of AIX Connect and Air India Express, bringing the two organisations together behind a common brand. Alongside, we worked on the complex integration exercise culminating today in the operational and legal merger of the two organisations. The close collaboration amongst DGCA, BCAS, and MoCA, AIX and group leadership teams and many other colleagues were instrumental in the success of this exercise.
Campbell Wilson, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Air India and Chairman of Air India Express, said,
The integration of AIX Connect with Air India Express is an important milestone in Air India’s Vihaan.ai transformation journey. The merged entity will cater to the growing demand for air travel around India and in the region, especially amongst the country’s aspirational youth looking for fresh and more appealing value products. This merger will be followed by the merger of Vistara into Air India on 12 November. We look forward to working with the guidance of DGCA to conclude it seamlessly.
With the merger behind them, Air India Express will focus on a future growth and transformation agenda. The airline’s fleet has already grown to 88 aircraft, with nearly four new aircraft continuing to join each month. The fleet is expected to cross 100 aircraft by the end of the current financial year, with a network footprint spanning across India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
The number of routes AIX operates has risen from 74 to 171, and passenger carriage has increased by over 400% since the Tata group took over Air India in early 2022.
Bottomline
Air India Express has merged its two entities, Air India Express and erstwhile AirAsia India, into one. Flights designated as I5 have been moved to be designated with the IX code. Other changes will include personnel changes at the management level, which will see the change of the airline’s Number 2 position, with an old hand making way for the new guard arriving from Vistara.
What do you think of the Air India Express merger closing out?
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