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Air India: Paragon of comfort and reliability

A source of national pride, Air India is closer to the hearts of Indians and world travellers for its public spirit, national heritage and a growing network in India and the world

In an era when flags on the planes are thinning out, Air India (AI) has turned the tables and is thriving on increasing capacity and widening reach alongwith its fully owned subsidiary Air India Express. The national carrier of India operates the widest network in India connecting international destinations to metros and the hinterland. As on July 30, AI flies to 35 international destinations (12 in the Middle East) and 64 in India, and commands almost one-fifth of the market share in India. The combined operations of Air India and Air India Express are the largest in terms of passengers and operational flights between the Middle East and India.
Improving financials
The financial restructuring at the turn of the decade has proven beneficial for the company. Over the last couple of years, the aviation behemoth has been growing in size and revenue on year-on-year basis. Air India has posted its first positive EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) in three years and bolstered its performance statistics by slashing operating losses by over 40 per cent. Consequently, its revenues jumped by more than 20 per cent compared with the previous year.
The numbers are important primarily because of the confidence they infuse in passengers, and credibility lent to the carrier on the whole.
A legacy of network
Traditionally, Air India's biggest strength has been its reach. Being a pioneer in the aviation sector in the country, it has created a network legacy that is happily replicated by its private counterparts. For instance, it recently launched a flight from Durgapur to Kolkata - making AI the first carrier to start commercial operations from the recently opened Kazi Nazrul Airport.
Internationally, AI has recently started flying to Birmingham in England, Rome and Milan in Italy, and Moscow, Russia. In 2013, Air India became the only carrier to offer a non-stop flight to Melbourne and Sydney in Australia from India.
In July 2014, Air India became the 27th member of the Star Alliance, which has incrementally increased its reach. "There are 27 members in the alliance and since the induction, we have forged code share agreements and SPAs with a number of players, giving our flyers access to Indian hospitality with world-class service standards and more destinations. Air India being the torch bearer among all airlines serving the passengers flying between India and Gulf-Middle East region continues in its endeavour to provide world-class services in line with the Star Alliance standards," says Melwin D'Silva, Regional Manager Gulf, Middle East and Africa.
AI operates more than 300 direct flights between India and the Middle East. With the launch of new international destinations along with a strong hub in New Delhi, AI in the Middle East aims to strengthen its Delhi hub for traffic to other international destinations over Delhi.
Travel in style
Frequent flyers of Air India enjoy perks that are comparable with only a few in the industry. The Maharaja Club, an elite flying rewards programme, gives access to world-class Air India lounges in India and select cities globally, as well as lounges of its Star Alliance partners. Two other clubs, namely Golden Edge Club and the Silver Edge, allow passengers to accrue miles and enjoy benefits such as extra baggage allowance of 10kg every time they fly.
Flying Returns members can also realise the potential of the extended Air India - Star Alliance network for mileage accruals and redemptions.
 TOP FIVE REASONS TO FLY AIR INDIA
Connectivity: No one connects India better than Air India. With 64 destinations in India and 35 globally, passengers can fly seamlessly from one point to the other. Moreover, the national carrier is planning to supplement capacity on its existing routes connecting the Middle East to India. Discussions are on progressive stages to add more frequencies with the latest state-of-the-art Dreamliner on Delhi and Mumbai routes. Air India's fully owned subsidiary complements the capacity expansion by introducing flights from Sharjah to Varanasi from August 17 this year.
F&B: This is one of the true specialities of the Air India service - delectable food and a crisp selection of beverage. Passengers, Indians as well as foreigners, have often complimented Air India for its variety of meal options and freshness of food served in the air. Moreover, the beverage includes specialities from across the world that suits the palate of global flyers.
Comfort: With new age aircraft and young fleet averaging five to seven years, the comfort quotient is high with Air India. The business and first class seating are admired for their exclusivity and privacy. Even the economy seat alignment is meticulously planned keeping the comfort of passengers in mind. Air India has ordered 27 Dreamliners and of this 21 have aready been inducted into its fleet. These are advanced aircraft, which provide better flying experience to passengers; the air is less pressurised and more filtered. The windows are wider too, giving better view to the flyers and a sense of more space.
Trust: Being one of the earliest carriers and one of the most experienced in aviation business in the region, Air India exudes a feeling of trust in its passengers.
Air Indians: Air India's workforce proudly calls themselves Air Indians. There is a feeling of honour, pride and commitment in working for the Indian national carrier among its employees, which makes Air India different from other carriers. So whether it is commercial operations or a humanitarian mission, such as the latest evacuation of Indians and foreign nationals from Yemen, one can always count on the warmth and loving smile of Air Indians to cater to your needs.
A GLIMPSE OF THE NATIONAL SPIRIT
April 2015: Operation Raahat
Air India operated 19 flights between Djibouti and Sana'a, Yemen, to evacuate Indian and foreign nationals caught in the war-torn country. Air India, the only Indian carrier, collaborated with the Government of India and the Indian armed forces to evacuate around 3,600 people, more than half of the total people rescued from Yemen.
suneeti@khaleejtimes.com