Air India to expand fleet in Kochi

KOCHI: Air India would deploy flights to Kochi from the 14 new Airbus A 320 aircraft that will join its fleet. This will be in addition to the six new Boeing 737-800 aircraft joining the Air India Express fleet which will be put in the India-Gulf routes according to Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani.

Lohani said this during the interaction with Air India and Air India Express team at Air India Express headquarters in Kochi. He called for exploring the feasibility of operating bigger aircraft in the Kochi-Bangalore sector adding that Alliance Air will increase its feeder operations with 72 seater ATR aircraft, which are now used in Kochi-Agatti and Kochi-Bangalore sectors.

He promised to examine the travel agents’ request for a third Kochi-Delhi service and change of timings for the Kochi-Chennai service.

Lohani gave administrative sanction for revamping the corporate headquarters of Air India Express to transform it into modern office with ticketing and reservation centre in the ground floor. The new building will also house the board room of Air India Express.

“This facility upgrade will help Air India Express to meet the need for additional space requirement of a growing workforce in the Airline which is on expansion mode,” said K Shyam Sundar, CEO, Air India Express.