Air India Express and AirAsia India, both subsidiaries of the Tata-owned Air India, unveiled a common, refreshed branding as ‘Air India Express’, on a new Boeing 737 –8 aircraft.
With a modern look and bold, bright colours and aircraft livery, the airline invited guests to “Fly As You Are,” announcing its intention to differentiate itself by making meaningful connections across places, people and cultures, curating frictionless and digitally enabled travel experiences to provide best-in-class value, and offering service with a sense of unique Indian warmth.
The grand unveiling, where Campbell Wilson, Chairman of Air India Express, and Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, inaugurated the refreshed brand identity, logo, and aircraft livery on the first brand-new Boeing 737-8, the latest addition to the airline’s rapidly growing fleet of 58 aircraft.
Campbell Wilson, Chairman, Air India Express, emphasised, “With the merger of Air India Express and Air Asia India now in the final stages, we are also seeing the transformation of the aviation landscape. We are proud to present the new brand of Air India Express, a vitally important part of the new Air India Group, charged with providing the best value, accessibility and domestic and regional connectivity to every Indian, and to become the airline of a new generation. The broader ambition of these efforts is to better connect India and Indians, to each other and to the world.”
The airline’s new visual identity features an energetic and premium colour palette of Express Orange and Express Turquoise with Express Tangerine and Express Ice Blue as secondary colours. The dominant Express Orange symbolises Air India Express’s brand values of enthusiasm and agility while reflecting the positioning of quintessential Indian warmth. The Express Turquoise embodies the brand personality traits of style with a contemporary premium sensibility and a digital-first approach.
Speaking of the new brand identity, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said, “The integrated Air India Express-AirAsia India entity will operate as Air India Express, with a modern, refreshed branding, positioned as ‘New India’s Smart Connector’. The re-branding marks a new phase in our ambitious growth and transformation journey, starting with induction of the modern fuel-efficient Boeing 737 – 8 aircraft. With 50 aircraft set to be inducted into the fleet over the next 15 months, we double in size in a short span of time. Over the course of the next 5 years, we aim to grow to a fleet of about 170 narrow-body aircraft, with a network spanning the domestic India and short-haul international markets. Continuing with our unique tradition, the aircraft livery will feature a variable tailfin design inspired by the rich art and crafts heritage of the country, themed as ‘The patterns of India’.”
While launching the new brand identity, Air India Express also unveiled its new signature sonic identity, a vibrant melody, embodying the essence of a progressive New India filled with aspirations, optimism, and confidence. Air India Express’s distinctive musical logo evokes the Rasas of Karuna, Adbutha, and Veera, a harmonious welcome to the sounds of New India.
The livery of the first new Boeing 737-8 aircraft showcased at the launch, draws inspiration from the Bandhani textile design. The upcoming aircraft being inducted will feature designs inspired by other traditional patterns including Ajrakh, Patola, Kanjeevaram, Kalamkari, etc., showcasing India’s artistic diversity. The airline’s ‘Patterns of India’ theme encapsulates the spirit of the nation and shares its stories through a visual journey. This reaffirms the brand’s position and its commitment to delivering aspirational travel experiences leveraging technology, accessibility, clever design, and an unmistakable sense of Indian hospitality.
