Air India Express Connect, known as AIX Connect, operating as AirAsia India, is an Indian airline headquartered in Bangalore (Bengaluru), Karnataka and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India Limited which in turn is owned by Tata Group. The airline was founded as a joint venture between Tata Sons and AirAsia Bhd and commenced operations in June 2014 with Bangalore as its primary operating base. From 2020 to 2022, AirAsia Bhd gradually disinvested its entire shares in the joint venture and sold them to Tata Sons. In December 2022, after the entire shares of AirAsia India was acquired by Tata Sons, the airline was renamed AIX Connect.[4]
The airline flies to over 50 direct and 100 connecting routes across India. The airline shares its website with Air India Express.
History
AirAsia India Airbus A320 in 'The Pioneer' livery. The aircraft is painted with an image of J. R. D. Tata
The airline planned to operate with the world's lowest unit cost of ₹1.25 (1.6¢ US) per available seat kilometre and a passenger break-even load factor of 52%. It also planned to hedge 100% of its fuel requirements for the first three years and to achieve an aircraft turnaround time of 25 minutes.[10]
AirAsia planned to begin operations to various tier 2 and tier 3 cities with Chennai International Airport as its main operating base.[11] According to KPMG, the introduction of AirAsia was expected to cause another price war, ultimately leading to an increase in air traffic and some consolidation in the Indian aviation sector.[12] AirAsia initially invested an amount of US$50 million and in preparation for its operations in India, it struck deals with online and offline travel agents.[13][14] On 3 March 2013, the FIPB officially permitted AirAsia to rent or lease aircraft and to carry cargo on its scheduled flights. The airline then applied for permission to schedule aircraft and transport passengers,[15] which the FIPB accepted on 6 March.[16]
AirAsia India was established on 28 March 2013 and became the first foreign airline to set up a subsidiary in India.[17][18] In April, the airline started recruiting candidates for pilots and cabin crew.[19] As the final procedure to obtain Air Operator Permit, a proving flight was conducted on 1 and 2 May 2014 flying from Chennai to Kochi, Bangalore and Kolkata.[20] On 7 May 2014, the DGCA issued an Air Operator Permit to the company.[21] On 30 May 2014, the airline announced the shifting of its base to Bangalore and its first flight from there to Goa.[22] AirAsia operated its maiden flight on 12 June 2014.[23][24] In June 2015, the airline made Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi its secondary hub for North Indian operations.[25] In August 2015, Tata Sons increased its stake to 40.06% from 30% earlier by injecting fresh equity while Telestra's share was reduced to 10% from 20%.[26][27] As of July 2019, AirAsia India was the fifth largest low-cost carrier in India, behind IndiGo, SpiceJet, Star Air (India), and GoAir, with a market share of 7.1%.[28]
In January 2018, then managing director and chief executive Amar Abrol announced plans of the company to expect a fleet of 21 aircraft by the year end, which would make it eligible to operate overseas flights.[29] In July 2020, AirAsia India launched an aviation analytics app that would help enhance the operational efficiency of the airline by monitoring and helping manage aircraft turnaround between flights with data analytics in real time.[30]
On 29 December 2020, AirAsia Berhad announced that it would sell a 32.67% stake in AirAsia India to Tata Sons for $37.7 million, including a provision to sell the remaining 16.33% stake for $18.8 million.[31][32] Tata Sons acquired Air India Limited on 8 October 2021.[33][34] The Tata Group requested approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to merge AirAsia India with Air India Limited in April 2022,[35] which was granted on 14 June 2022.[36] On 2 November 2022, AirAsia Berhad sold the remaining 16.33% stake to Tata Sons. However, the AirAsia brand can still be used for twelve months.[37]
AirAsia India added the gender-neutral honorific Mx as a third option for passengers booking tickets from June 2022.[38]
The Tata Group which had acquired AirAsia India then changed the airline's name to AIX Connect and announced its merger with Air India Express.
On 27 March 2023,[40] Air India integrated the reservations system and customer interface of its two low-cost subsidiary airlines - Air India Express and AirAsia India, making a major move in the Tata-owned flag carrier's plan to consolidate its airline entities.
The process largely involved Air India Express migrating to the systems used by AirAsia India. Passengers will now be able to make and manage bookings, and check-in to AirAsia India and Air India Express domestic and international flights, on an all-new integrated website.[41]
Corporate affairs
AirAsia India is headquartered in Bangalore, India.[42] Prior to the airline's formation, Tony Fernandes, founder of AirAsia group, announced that he would like Ratan Tata to be the chairman of the airline; however the latter refused, though he later consented to being the chief advisor to the AirAsia India management board.[43][44] On 15 May 2013, AirAsia India appointed management consultant Mittu Chandilya as CEO.[45] A month later, on 17 June, S. Ramadorai, the non-executive vice-chairman of Tata Consultancy Services, was appointed as the chairman of the airline.[46] In April 2016, Amar Abrol replaced Mittu Chandilya as the CEO of the airline.[47] In June 2018, Amar Abrol reportedly quit and in October 2018, AirAsia India announced that Sunil Bhaskaran had been appointed managing director and CEO of the airline.[48]
Former chairman of the Tata GroupCyrus Mistry alleged that there were corporate governance lapses between the two joint venture partners.
[49]
Destinations
AIX Connect operates over 200 daily flights connecting 19 destinations across India.[50]
₹4,310 crore (US$540 million) (2023)[3]
₹−2,750 crore (US$−340 million) (2023)[3]
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