AI Express to begin budget domestic flights

Air India's international low-cost carrier (LCC), AI Express, is planning to commence budget domestic flights from next March, connecting metros like Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata with tier II cities in the initial phase.

Though, these flights will begin from Delhi only from next winter. The lag is due to the fact that the airline expects to obtain its pilots trained for taking off and landing in dense fog by that time. Budget fliers from Mumbai will also have to stay as the airline has determined to cancel its only foreign flight out of the city.

The much-maligned LCC is also annoying to alter its image by renaming itself as Express India and shifting headquarters from Mumbai to Cochin as a majority of its 204 weekly flights function from the south.

In another large alteration, its all-economy configuration Boeing 737-800 aircraft will acquire eight business-class seats in the two front rows in the place of 18 budget seats. Termed super economy, the fares for these eight seats will be twice the economy charges and the seats may also have in-flight amusement.