- Phased launch of new Air India website, mobile app, loyalty program, and refitted interiors
- Entirely new long-haul fleet to be flying by end of 2026
By Sangeeta Saxena
Gurugram, India. 10 August 2023. The wait is finally over! The new but original owners of the airline, the nation loved to hate but never deterred to use, post privatisation in the aviation sector, Air India, a Tata Group-owned airline, today unveiled a modern new brand identity and new aircraft livery that capture the essence of a bold new India, marking a milestone in its Vihaan.AI. A transformation of the national institution into a national inspiration is what they call this biggest changing of hands the nation has seen recently.
Let us check out the new look. It reimagines the iconic Indian window shape, historically used by Air India, into a gold window frame that becomes central to the new brand design system – symbolising a ‘Window of Possibilities’. Air India’s new logo symbol – ‘The Vista’ – is inspired by the peak of the gold window frame, signifying limitless possibilities, progressiveness, and the airline’s bold, confident outlook for the future.
Air India’s brand-new aircraft livery and design features a palette of deep red, aubergine, and gold highlights, as well as a chakra-inspired pattern in a striking new custom-made ‘Air India Sans’ font. For the argumentative Indian Tata’s concept of marrying confidence with warmth to position Air India as premium, inclusive, and accessible, lacks the elan of the maharajah but for the aviation geeks it is a great attempt to get back the airline to it’s original glory both in look and operations. Air India is telling the world – we are changed, we are better but we are the same – India’s own airline.
Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO & MD, said, “Our transformative new brand reflects an ambition to make Air India a world class airline serving guests from around the globe, and that represents a new India proudly on the global stage. The new Air India is bold, confident, and vibrant, but also warm and deeply rooted to its rich history and traditions that make Indian hospitality a global benchmark for standards in service.”
FutureBrand is responsible for gettng this image makeover plan taking off, where the new brand identity with a memorable past, nationalistic flavour and Tata’s dependability, will aim for excellence and reliability.
Travellers will begin to see the new logo throughout their journey starting December 2023, when Air India’s first Airbus A350 enters the fleet in the new livery. “Colours, patterns,shapes and how they come together and what they represent matter, but our actions speak so much louder. We are in the midst of a total transformation to reimagine the role of India’s flagship airline”, Wilson said. Air India is making significant investments throughout the guest experience to elevate its service and to strengthening its position as the preferred airline for travellers flying to, from, and within India.
It now has started looking like a smooth tarmac with pot holes being filled, both to give the airline it’s original legacy and state-of-the-art aviation reputation. It may be recalled that at this year’s Paris Airshow the tide was turned by Air India, which confirmed its historic purchase agreements to acquire 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing at US$70 billion (based on published list prices), with deliveries of the new aircraft starting November this year. This was preceded by the airline leasing of widebody aircraft earlier this year.
The airline announced its US$400 million programme to completely refurbish the interiors of its legacy fleet of 43 widebody aircraft commences mid-2024, which will lead to the installation of brand-new seats in every cabin, new inflight entertainment systems, and inflight Wi-Fi internet. By March 2024, 33% of the airline’s widebody fleet will be upgraded, and over the next two-and-a-half years, its entire long-haul fleet will be reborn. A steady transformation plan is in the offing.
Air India has launched a new website and mobile app, offering a significantly improved web experience with new digital tools and features. The carrier will also launch a new “open all hours, every day” customer contact centre in nine Indian and foreign languages by the end of this year, as well as a completely redesigned loyalty program in early 2024 that will enable thousands of new redemption.
The airline is investing in building completely new lounges at Delhi and New York JFK airports, having recently announced a global lounge network expansion, achieving 100% lounge access coverage for premium customers at all destinations in its international route
Air India has more than 5,000 new staff, including 3,200 Cabin Crew and nearly 1,000 Cockpit Crew, who are helping to drive the professional transformation and the changed work culture which is the aim of the new owners. It is also heavily investing in building one of the world’s largest aviation training academies in India thereby matching steps with the Skill-India programme..
The airline after many a bumpy rides since it was founded by the legendary JRD Tata, is now set to smooth sail once again and the pioneer of aviation in India is all set to take it forward globally. As the government owned airline ,Air India has built an extensive domestic network with non-stop flights to cities around the world, across the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Far-East, South-East Asia, Australia, and the Gulf and after 69 years, Air India along with Air India Express returned to its original home in January 2022 and the nation celebrated this home coming.
Air India is navigating through a major five-year transformation roadmap under the aegis of Vihaan.AI, with an ambition to become a world class airline with an Indian heart. The first phase of this transformation, the taxi phase was recently concluded, and focused on fixing the basics. These included bringing back to service many long grounded aircraft, addition of talent across flying and ground functions, rapid upgradation of technology and strengthening of customer care initiatives amongst others. A member of Star Alliance, the largest global airline consortium of leading international airlines, Air India offers seamless connectivity and facilities to passengers all over the world. For all of us who have been travelling Air India pre and post this historic event, feel the teething troubles and infancy burps post the take over, but hope that time will get the airline back to track. 
