AI Express to expand fleet, add more foreign destinations to its network
July 17, 2017: Air India Express is reportedly preparing a 10-year vision document as it looks to expand its fleet and add more foreign destinations.
The plan is being prepared at a time when the government is working on a road map for disinvestment in Air India, the debt laden parent of the low-cost carrier. According to media reports, Air India Express CEO K Shyam Sundar says that it is business as usual and the airline would keep growing, in response to queries on whether there are business uncertainties in the wake of Air India disinvestment decision.
He added that the carrier would expand its aircraft fleet and fly to more overseas destinations. He further informed that consulting firms KPMG and ICF have been tasked with the job of preparing the ten-year vision document for the carrier.
Air India Express has a fleet of 23 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, each having a seating capacity for 189 people.
It flies to 15 international destinations including Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait, Muscat, Salalah, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Riyadh and Dhaka.
On domestic routes, it has flights between Chennai- Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode-Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi- Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi-Kozhikode. AI Express has 545 weekly departures and it flew 3.4 million passengers in 2016-17.
Boosted by higher revenues and reduction in costs, the airline posted a net profit of Rs 296.7 crore in the last financial year even though it had declined from Rs 361.68 crore recorded in 2015-16 period. The carrier, which has been operationally profitable for the last four years, saw its revenue rise to Rs 3,335 crore in 2016-17.
