AirAsia India gets green to fly under AI Express brand
New Delhi: AirAsia India on Thursday received approval from India’s civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, to operate flights under the Air India Express brand, according to a company statement. On 25 July, Mint reported that AirAsia India had sought the DGCA’s nod to expedite the integration of the two airlines, including a rebranding from AirAsia India to Air India Express. With the regulatory approval in place, Air India Express and AIX Connect flights can now be marketed, distributed and operated under a common brand name, ‘Air India Express’, which paves way for the proposed legal merger of the two.
AirAsia India said this strategic decision will lead to harmonization of customer touch points, products, and services for both airlines. The integration is also expected to streamline product and service standards, unlocking valuable synergy between the two airlines. To fast-track the process, the airline is also sending 3-4 aircraft each month for updating the livery from AirAsia India to Air India Express.
The full fleet transition for livery is expected to be completed by November-December. Additionally, AirAsia India has also initiated the process of changing the International Air Transport Association (IATA) flight code for its flights from ‘I5’ to ‘IX,’ the code associated with Air India Express. This process is expected to be completed by January.
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