Air India Express is set to broaden its network by connecting more smaller cities and towns with metro cities, while also launching new international routes. Following the recent merger with AIX Connect, the airline’s fleet currently includes around 90 aircraft, with plans to exceed 110 by the end of this fiscal year.

As part of its expansion strategy, Air India Express aims to serve 55 destinations by March 2025. This includes adding more domestic flights and starting new international services to popular locations like Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand.

Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, highlighted that the airline will focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, which are seen as key growth areas. The majority of the airline’s traffic is expected to be from metro cities to smaller towns. The airline’s international network will primarily link these cities with destinations in the Gulf, Middle East, Southeast Asia, and eventually South Asia, with potential expansion into the Far East in the coming years.

Singh emphasized that Air India Express’ route planning is closely aligned with the broader strategy of the Air India Group. Tata Group, which owns the airline, recently merged AIX Connect with Air India Express, and the integration of Vistara with Air India is expected to be completed next week.

Air India Express' Chief Commercial Officer, Ankur Garg, mentioned that services to Bangkok and Phuket are being explored, with flights to Bangkok likely operating from Tier 2 cities and Phuket services possibly departing from a metro city.

Looking ahead, the airline is also considering destinations like Malaysia, Hong Kong, and countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) for future services. Singh clarified that the airline's focus remains on strengthening its connections from smaller cities to metro areas, linking the domestic network with the larger, long-haul international routes operated by the full-service Air India.

When asked about the introduction of premium economy class seats, Singh confirmed that there are currently no plans for this. Air India Express continues to offer economy class on most flights, with some planes featuring business class seating.

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