Air India Express will get 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft over the next 15 months

Air India Express, the low-cost international subsidiary of Air India, is set to undergo a significant fleet enhancement program over the next 15 months. As part of a mega-aircraft order placed earlier this year, Air India signed a deal with Boeing for 190 737 MAX aircraft. According to the budget carrier’s CEO, Aloke Singh, 50 of those planes will arrive in the next 15 months. The first two of these 737 MAX planes have already arrived from Boeing’s delivery center in Seattle2. These planes were originally part of 55 737 MAXs meant for various Chinese carriers. However, due to delays in the type’s delivery in China over the last few years, some of these planes were diverted to other airlines, including Air India Express.

The first two of these 737 MAX planes have already arrived from Boeing’s delivery center in Seattle. These planes were originally part of 55 737 MAXs meant for various Chinese carriers. However, due to delays in the type's delivery in China over the last few years, some of these planes were diverted to other airlines, including Air India Express.

This fleet enhancement program is expected to allow Air India Express to expand its network to new destinations and increase flights on existing routes. The new planes will not only integrate with the Airbus A320s of AirAsia India but will also receive dozens of new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in a little over a year. Air India Express currently operates with a fleet of 28 Boeing 737 aircraft. Once AirAsia India transfers all its Airbus narrowbody planes, the combined fleet will have over 55 aircraft. Both airlines operate more than 2,500 weekly flights, flying to a network of more than 40 destinations, including 14 overseas locations.

With all the new planes coming its way, Air India Express is likely to expand its network to new destinations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Last year, a senior executive of the airline also said that around 30 countries are being explored by the carrier, including Cambodia, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, and Vietnam. This massive fleet enhancement program marks a critical step forward towards more sustainable operations for Air India Express. With its advanced technology winglets and efficient engines, the Boeing 737 MAX achieves a 20% reduction in fuel use and emissions while also significantly decreasing noise pollution by 50% compared to older models. This also offers up to 14 percent lower airframe maintenance costs.