Air India and Air India Express unify sales teams, Manish Puri appointed head of global sales

Air India group has merged the sales teams of Air India and Air India Express to boost business efficiency and strengthen engagement with the travel trade community, it said in a statement. The move creates a single, unified sales structure representing the group across both domestic and international markets.

The consolidated team will be led by Manish Puri, who has been elevated as Head of Global Sales. As per the company, Puri will oversee the integrated sales operations, focusing on deepening partnerships with trade stakeholders and ensuring seamless representation of both airlines under one framework.

“The integration of Air India and Air India Express sales teams marks a significant development in our journey to simplify operations and deliver greater value to our partners. With the unified approach it will be seamless for our trade partners to have a single point of contact for Air India group. Our focus will be on deepening relationships with our partners across all markets and expanding our reach with unmatched efficiency,” said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India.


The Air India group, which includes the full-service airline Air India and the low-cost carrier Air India Express, has been part of Indian aviation since 1932, when JRD Tata piloted its first flight. The group now employs over 30,000 people, operates more than 300 aircraft, and flies to 55 domestic and 45 international destinations.

After returning to Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under government ownership, Air India group launched a five-year transformation programme, Vihaan.AI. Under this plan, the airline has ordered 570 new aircraft.

In 2024, Air Asia India and Vistara were merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the group opened South Asia’s largest aviation training academy.

A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2025, and a greenfield maintenance base is expected to become operational in 2026. Meanwhile, all existing aircraft are gradually being fitted with updated interiors.