Air India Express Adds 22 Routes to Its Network and Drops One International Route

In an impressive move for international connectivity, Tata Group-owned Air India Express (AIE) introduced 22 new city-pair routes with 103 weekly flights in 2024. As per sources from Twitter AviationAll.

This significant expansion strengthened its position as a leading low-cost carrier (LCC), rivaling IndiGo’s growing international presence. The airline’s ambitious network overhaul was executed in two phases.

The first half of the year saw 14 city pairs added, while the latter half introduced eight more, marking a pivotal shift in its operational strategy.

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Despite this success, Air India Express deferred its planned Mangaluru-Singapore service, citing “operational reasons.” Originally, flight IX862 was set to depart Mangaluru at 5:55 AM and reach Singapore at 1:25 PM, with the return flight IX861 scheduled for a 2:25 PM departure from Singapore.

However, the route has been removed from the airline’s booking system, disappointing travelers eager for this international connection.

Among the newly launched routes, Bangkok emerged as a key addition, enhancing connectivity with Southeast Asia. However, plans to connect Dhaka were scrapped.

Other standout routes include seven weekly flights between Mumbai and Dammam starting January 19, and four weekly flights connecting Hyderabad to Dammam on the same day. February witnessed Hyderabad linking to Riyadh with three flights per week, followed by six weekly flights from Hyderabad to Jeddah in March.

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In the first half of the year, air india express expanded its Gulf presence with routes like Lucknow to Dammam and Muscat in mid-March. Mangaluru to Jeddah began in April with one weekly flight, while Mumbai introduced connections to Muscat and Abu Dhabi with seven weekly services each.

Delhi also gained prominence with daily flights to Bahrain in April, followed by Dammam and Muscat later in the year.

The second half of 2024 brought new Southeast Asian routes, including connections from Surat, Pune, Amritsar, and Lucknow to Bangkok in December. These additions reflect the airline’s strategy to expand into emerging markets and cater to growing demand for affordable international travel.