Air India Express Expands Network with A321neo Routes
Air India Express is set to introduce its first Airbus A321neo services as part of its plan to expand its domestic network with approximately 20 new routes in the coming weeks. The LCC will begin A321neo operations on April 15 with flights connecting New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (BLR). The aircraft will also be deployed on the New Delhi-Srinagar route starting on the same day, with a third A321neo route linking New Delhi and Ayodhya scheduled to launch on April 20.
The airline, which currently operates a fleet of 102 aircraft, including 36 A320-family aircraft, 25 Boeing 737-800s, and 42 Boeing 737-8s, is undergoing rapid expansion. This growth follows its merger with AIX Connect in October 2024, which nearly doubled its fleet size from 54 aircraft in January 2022, according to CAPA – Centre for Aviation data.
As part of its network expansion, Air India Express is set to add about 20 new domestic routes starting from late March. New daily flights between Bangalore and Srinagar, operated with 737-8s, will begin on March 30, alongside daily services from Pune to Indore, operated with A320s. Goa’s Manohar International Airport will also see five new routes, including connections to Bangalore, Chennai, Indore, New Delhi, Patna, and Surat. Additionally, three new routes will operate from Ghaziabad to Bhubaneswar, Chennai, and Mumbai, while other new services will include Chennai-Patna, Mumbai-Kannur, and Hyderabad-Ranchi.
According to data from OAG, by late April, Air India Express will offer approximately 668,000 weekly seats, with around 496,000 of those seats dedicated to domestic routes. This will give the airline a 12.3% share of the domestic market, placing it behind IndiGo with a 62% share and its parent company, Air India, with 15.6%.
The introduction of A321neo services and the expansion of its domestic network reflect Air India Express’s strategy to strengthen its position in the highly competitive Indian aviation market. As the airline continues to grow, it aims to meet the increasing demand for affordable travel options across the country.
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