Air India Express inducts its 100th aircraft

Bengaluru, Mar 10 (PTI) As part of its expansion, Air India Express on Monday inducted its 100th aircraft, a Boeing 737-8, featuring 'Chittara' tail art inspired by Karnataka's traditional mural painting.

The aircraft was flagged off by Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, its largest hub, from where the airline operates over 445 weekly flights. Following the event, the aircraft operated on the Bengaluru-Hindon route, it stated.

"The addition of Hindon (Ghaziabad, Delhi NCR) to the airline's network earlier this month further underscores its rapid expansion, making it the first and only carrier serving two airports in the National Capital Region," the airline said in a statement.

Aloke Singh said: "The induction of our 100th aircraft marks a defining moment in the growth and transformation journey of Air India Express. In just over three years since privatisation, we integrated and merged the LCC airlines, while scaling up rapidly with a modern and fuel-efficient fleet, broad basing our domestic network, deepening and expanding our Middle East and Southeast Asia routes.

"Today, we have a formidable presence in the Indian market focused towards tier two and tier three cities, the emerging hotspots of the economy, playing a pivotal role in the next stage of India's aviation growth story," he added.

According to the statement, each aircraft in the growing Air India Express fleet, adorned with its unique 'Tales of India' tail art theme, showcases the country's diverse artistic heritage.

"The 100th aircraft proudly continues this tradition with Chittara art from Karnataka, an intricate folk art historically practiced by the Deewaru community, symbolising prosperity and celebration. Created using natural colours on mud-coated surfaces, Chittara reflects a deep connection to nature and heritage, showcasing the artistic legacy of the region," it added. PTI AMP KH