(a) the details of airports connected by Air India Express;
(b) whether the head quarters of Air India Express is proposed to be shifted;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(d) whether Air India Express proposes to undergo rebranding;
(e) if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the other operational and marketing strategies being proposed to restructure the international subsidiary of the national carrier and improve its financial health?
MINISTER OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS & MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION ( SHRI VAYALAR RAVI )
(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House
STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) AND (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO 24 FOR ANSWER ON 23.2.2011 REGARDING REBRANDING OF AIR INDIA EXPRESS
(a): Air India Express presently operates from 12 Indian Cities viz. Kozhikode, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Managalore, Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar and Kolkata to 13 International destinations namely, Dubai, Abu dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, Muscat, Salalah, Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait, Colombo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Dhaka.
(b) and (c): The airline Management has taken a decision to shift its headquarters to Kochi since it is operating more than 50% of its flights from Kerala. The relocation of headquarters and maintenance facilities to Kerala will enhance the operational standards of the airline apart from reduction of costs and movement of personnel.
(d): No, Madam.
(e): Does not arise.
(f): Intensive marketing has been launched by the carrier. Operational improvements in On Time Performance (OTP), fleet utilization, route rationalization, recruitment of crew and enhancement of training standards has been carried out in the recent past to improve the overall image and performance of the airline.