Page 23 - AAA JANUARY-MARCH 2021 Online Magazine

Young Fleet
The combined fleet of AI and AIXL stood at 146
aircraft as of November 1, 2019, comprised of
78 Airbus and 68 Boeing aircraft. The average
aircraft age of the combined airline is eight
years, while AI’s 27 B-787s have an average
age of approximately five years. Its fleet of 27
A320 Neos which are powered by CFM LEAP
engines, have an average age of about two
years. 56% of the total aircraft fleet (including
finance lease) are owned and said to have been
purchased on attractive terms. AI’s aircraft fleet
is comprised of 121 aircraft mainly A-319s (19 +
3 on lease), A320s (5 + 31 on lease), 20 A-321s,
3 B777-200 LRs, 15 B777-300ERs and 27
B-787s. 65 of these aircraft are owned by AI
or on finance lease/bridge loans, while 21 are
on sale and lease back and the balance 35 are
on operating lease.
nificantly improved the cabin ambience and passenger comfort /
convenience. The refurbishment program resulted in a reduction
Out of AI’s 27 B787-8s, the Sale and Lease of the empty weight of the aircraft by approximately 800 kg due
Back transaction for 21 aircraft was completed to the lighter weight of the new seats.
in 2016-17.AI also has four B747-400 aircraft
which are due for retirement. The carrier took
delivery of its first B777-300ER aircraft in Large Network
October 2007 as part of a December 2005 Originally founded by the Tata Group almost 90 years ago, AI was
order for of 68 Boeing jetliners. 12 aircraft were amongst the pioneering Asian international carriers and was the
delivered by July 2010 and the 15th and last first scheduled airline in India. AI has been a Star Alliance member
B777-300ER was delivered to AI in March 2018. since July 2014. Air India’s direct long distance connections to the
The 13th and 14th B777-300ERs are exclusively USA and Australia have continued to thrive and it has restructured
reserved for VVIP Government travel or Special some of its routes to offer non-stop services such as Delhi - Toronto
Extra Section Flights (SESF) and funded by the (DEL - YYZ), Bombay - Kuwait (BOM - KWI), Delhi - Doha (DEL
Government. - DOH), Delhi - Seoul (DEL - ICN) and Bombay - Nairobi (BOM -
NBO) flights.

Air India Express AI along with AIXL has significant international and domestic oper-
AIXL is AI’s low-cost carrier headquartered ations and as of Q2 FY20 had a share of approximately 50.64%
in Kochi and is operated by Air India Express in international traffic to/from India amongst Indian carriers and
Limited (formerly known as Air India Charters approximately18.4% share including global airlines. As of November
Limited), a wholly owned subsidiary of AI. AIXL 1, 2019, AI covered 56 domestic destinations with around 2,712
primarily provides air transportation services departures per week and 42 international destinations with around
between India and destinations in Middle 450 departures per week. During FY 2019, AI carried around 22.1
East and South East Asia and has performed million passengers.
extremely well, in addition to being rated as one
of the most economical airlines in the world.
AIXL’s fleet comprises of 25 Boeing 737- 800
NG aircraft. The 24th and 25th B737-800NGs
joined the fleet in September and October
2018. 10 of these aircraft are fully owned by
AIXL while seven are on finance lease and eight
on dry lease. Prior to the pandemic, AIXL oper-
ated to 627 international departures per week
connecting 13 international destinations and 20
domestic stations in India and aircraft utilisation
stood at 13.3 hours/ day.

AIXL completed a cabin refurbishment program
involving change of seats, carpets and curtains
on 17 aircraft owned by it in 2018-19, which sig-

ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE January/March | 23