New Delhi
Air India on Wednesday has announced a major revamp of its domestic route network following its merger with Vistara, aiming to deliver a superior travel experience on key metro routes starting Dec 1.
The airline will deploy its advanced narrowbody Airbus A320-series aircraft, previously operated by Vistara, on five critical metro routes: Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Bengaluru, Delhi-Hyderabad, Mumbai-Bengaluru, and Mumbai-Hyderabad. These flights will feature three cabin classes—business, premium economy, and economy.
Flights on these routes will use four-digit flight numbers starting with “2,” such as AI2999 for Delhi-Mumbai. The move aligns with Air India’s strategy to consolidate premium offerings on high-demand routes.
“The Vistara merger has opened up opportunities to enhance our services. By integrating the strengths of both carriers, we are prioritizing routes where passengers seek a frequent, full-service product,” said Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India.
Currently, Air India operates over 1,000 weekly flights on these metro routes, including 56 daily flights on Delhi-Mumbai, 36 on Delhi-Bengaluru, and 24 on Delhi-Hyderabad. Widebody Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 aircraft will continue to serve select flights on these routes.
Following the merger, the Air India Group operates a fleet of 300 aircraft across 55 domestic and 48 international destinations. It offers 8,300 weekly flights on 312 routes with a combined workforce of over 30,000.
In October, Air India and Air India Express captured a 19.4% market share, while Vistara accounted for 9.1%, according to the DGCA.
