AI Express-AIX Connect merger in the first week of October
Delhi Delhi. AIX Connect and the airline designator code ‘I5’ will be a thing of the past in the first week of October, as the merger of this no-frills carrier with Air India Express becomes a reality. “Everything is on track,” a senior airline official told PTI earlier this week about the merger process, which has been underway for nearly a year.AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India, will shut down after flying for 11 years. Another official said aircraft registered under its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) will be transferred to the AOC of Air India Express under the legal merger that will come into effect in the first week of October.
Currently, Air India Express and AIX Connect operate around 400 flights daily and there are plans to expand operations in the coming months. It has a fleet of 88 aircraft, including 61 Boeing 737 NG and Max, and 27 A320 Ceo and Neo.With the legal merger, all flights of erstwhile AIX Connect will be operated with Air India Express’ airline designator code- ‘IX’ and not the code ‘I5’, the official said. A war room has been functioning for the past three months to ensure a smooth merger as the process involves multiple stakeholders, including lessors and airports, the official said, adding that the process will also be a template for the future.
Vistara’s merger with Air India, part of the Tata Group, is scheduled to take place in November.With the legal merger of Air India Express and AIX Connect, there will also be a single rostering system for the crew of the two carriers, a senior pilot of Air India Express said. Already, both airlines have a common website, delivery system and customer service. In July 2023, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved the operation of AIX Connect under the Air India Express brand. And in October last year, the airline unveiled a unified brand. The integration process over the past several months has covered various areas, including human resources and flight network. Overall, some challenges related to a section of Air India Express’ cabin crew still remain. In terms of manpower, there are about 6,000 employees, including 1,500 cockpit crew. The cabin crew strength, including about 1,000 from AIX Connect, will be over 4,000.
