Air India Express to get first line-fit Boeing 737-8 MAX
What's the story
Air India Express is set to welcome its first line-fit Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft in Delhi on December 29. This will be the maiden all-new plane specifically manufactured for the Air India Group since Tata's acquisition nearly two years ago. Line-fit generally denotes planes that are specially designed for a specific airline, as opposed to white-tail aircraft which are made for one airline but delivered to another.
Fleet expansion
Tata Group's ambitious aircraft orders
The Tata Group took over the struggling Air India and profitable Air India Express in January 2022. In February 2023, they placed an order for a whopping 470 planes. The order was further expanded with an additional purchase of 100 aircraft in December 2024. These acquisitions are part of Tata's plan to modernize and expand the fleet of both airlines under its umbrella.
Special tribute
New aircraft to honor Ratan Tata
The new Boeing 737-8 MAX, which will be delivered on December 29, will be a special tribute to Ratan Tata. The aircraft will have a unique livery and namesake registration VT-RNT, as per flight tracking website Flightradar24.com. It is also worth noting that the plane will only have economy class seats onboard.
Growth update
Air India Express surpasses 100-aircraft milestone
In a recent message to the staff, Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh revealed that the airline has now crossed the 100-aircraft mark. This year alone, it inducted its first retrofitted Boeing B737 MAX and welcomed an Airbus A321 neo. The latter was part of a 16-strong A320 family aircraft transfer from Air India.