Not only is Air India looking at expanding its fleet in the coming years, but the airline will also increase its market share to at least 30 per cent in domestic and international routes. Soon, Air India passengers will be able to travel in premium economy class in some of its long-haul international flights.
Air India chief executive on Saturday announced that the carrier will be introducing premium economy class in some of its long-haul international flights next month. The Tata group-owned airline is implementing a long-term revival plan and over the next five years and is focusing on growing its wide-body and narrow-body fleet as well as expand the global network.
“The short-term actions have been to replace carpets, curtains, seat cushions and covers. To fix defective seats and inflight entertainment systems as fast as supply chains will allow. And where parts are no longer available in the market, to work with the likes of Tata Technologies to design and manufacture parts ourselves,” Wilson said at an event by the JRD Tata Memorial Trust in Mumbai.
He further shared that there has been a complete revamp of the domestic inflight menu recently.
According to Wilson, the Tata-owned carrier has restored nearly 20 aircraft that had been grounded for years due to lack of parts and money. Leaving aside cabin interiors, this has required procuring over 30,000 parts that had been cannibalised over the years to keep other aircraft flying.
Stressing that they have embarked on a bold chapter to make the airline a world-class airline, Wilson shared that Air India will expand its wide body and narrow body fleet over the next five years. In addition to restoring long-grounded aircraft, he said the airline has finalised leases for 30 additional aircraft being delivered over the next 12 months, starting next week, with more in the final stages of negotiation.
“Beyond these short-term additions, we are in deep discussion with Boeing, Airbus and engine manufacturers for a historic order of the latest-generation aircraft that will power Air India’s medium and long-term growth. At the risk of gross understatement, the investment will be substantial,” he said.
2023 should be an exciting year for Air India, the CEO noted.
Meanwhile, the US earlier this week ordered Tata-group owned Air India to pay a whopping $121.5 million as refunds and $1.4 million as penalties for extreme delays in providing refunds to passengers due to the cancellation or change in flights, mostly during the pandemic.
Air India is among the six airlines that have agreed to cough up a total of over $600 million as refunds, the US Department of Transportation said on Monday.
