Air India aims for 30 per cent domestic market share in five years

NEW DELHI: The Tata Group owned airline Air India aims to increase its market share to at least 30% in the domestic market while significantly growing the international routes from the present market share over the next five years under its comprehensive transformation plan titled 'Vihaan.AI'. According to DGCA data, Air India's market share stood at 8.4% in July 2022.

Market leader IndiGo dominated India's skies with a market share of 58.8%, leaving very little room for others to have significant market share. The combined market share of Tata Group operated airlines (Air India, Vistara, AirAsia India and Alliance Air) stood at 24.6%.

As part of Vihaan.AI, Air India has put into place a detailed roadmap with clear milestones focussing on dramatically growing both its network and fleet, developing a completely revamped customer proposition, improving reliability and on-time performance, and taking a leadership position in technology, sustainability, and innovation, while aggressively investing behind the best industry talent. The plan is aimed at putting Air India on a path to sustained growth, profitability and market leadership, the airline said in a statement.

Till last year when Air India was operated by the Government, the airline used to report about Rs 10,000 crore in one year and financially was in a dilapidated state.

The airline's CEO Campbell Wilson along with senior management members who are together driving this transformation, unveiled the Vihaan.AI plan with the entire organization through Workplace, its virtual communication and engagement platform. Over the coming days and weeks, the management team will engage employees across regions, departments, and locations through a series of physical and hybrid sessions.

Vihaan.AI has been developed after extensive feedback from Air India employees on their aspirations and hopes for the airline’s growth. Vihaan.AI focuses on five key pillars, exceptional customer experience, robust operations, industry-best talent, industry leadership, and commercial efficiency and profitability, the airline said . While the immediate focus of the airline remains on fixing the basics and readying itself for growth (Taxiing Phase), the more medium-to-long term focus will be on building for excellence and establishing scale to become a global industry leader (Take Off & Climb phases), it added.

"90 years ago, in exactly a month from today, a young JRD Tata piloted the first flight of the airline that would become Air India. Since then, Air India and its employees have persevered through many challenges before its homecoming back to the Tata group. Vihaan.AI is the roadmap to restoring Air India on the global map, making it the world class, digital, Indian airline it is meant to be," Air India said.

Commenting on Vihaan.AI, Campbell Wilson, MD, and CEO, Air India said, “The transformation has already started - a slew of initiatives in areas like refurbishing cabins, serviceable seats, in-flight entertainment system are already underway. We are also adopting proactive maintenance and refining flight schedules to enhance on-time performance. Our fleet expansion will involve a combination of both narrow-bodied and wide-bodied aircrafts to cater to varied network needs. The excitement and shared commitment to drive Vihaan.ai is palpable across the organisation and stakeholders will recognise the changes as the new face of Air India emerges."

NEW DELHI: The Tata Group owned airline Air India aims to increase its market share to at least 30% in the domestic market while significantly growing the international routes from the present market share over the next five years under its comprehensive transformation plan titled 'Vihaan.AI'. According to DGCA data, Air India's market share stood at 8.4% in July 2022. Market leader IndiGo dominated India's skies with a market share of 58.8%, leaving very little room for others to have significant market share. The combined market share of Tata Group operated airlines (Air India, Vistara, AirAsia India and Alliance Air) stood at 24.6%. As part of Vihaan.AI, Air India has put into place a detailed roadmap with clear milestones focussing on dramatically growing both its network and fleet, developing a completely revamped customer proposition, improving reliability and on-time performance, and taking a leadership position in technology, sustainability, and innovation, while aggressively investing behind the best industry talent. The plan is aimed at putting Air India on a path to sustained growth, profitability and market leadership, the airline said in a statement. Till last year when Air India was operated by the Government, the airline used to report about Rs 10,000 crore in one year and financially was in a dilapidated state. The airline's CEO Campbell Wilson along with senior management members who are together driving this transformation, unveiled the Vihaan.AI plan with the entire organization through Workplace, its virtual communication and engagement platform. Over the coming days and weeks, the management team will engage employees across regions, departments, and locations through a series of physical and hybrid sessions. Vihaan.AI has been developed after extensive feedback from Air India employees on their aspirations and hopes for the airline’s growth. Vihaan.AI focuses on five key pillars, exceptional customer experience, robust operations, industry-best talent, industry leadership, and commercial efficiency and profitability, the airline said . While the immediate focus of the airline remains on fixing the basics and readying itself for growth (Taxiing Phase), the more medium-to-long term focus will be on building for excellence and establishing scale to become a global industry leader (Take Off & Climb phases), it added. "90 years ago, in exactly a month from today, a young JRD Tata piloted the first flight of the airline that would become Air India. Since then, Air India and its employees have persevered through many challenges before its homecoming back to the Tata group. Vihaan.AI is the roadmap to restoring Air India on the global map, making it the world class, digital, Indian airline it is meant to be," Air India said. Commenting on Vihaan.AI, Campbell Wilson, MD, and CEO, Air India said, “The transformation has already started - a slew of initiatives in areas like refurbishing cabins, serviceable seats, in-flight entertainment system are already underway. We are also adopting proactive maintenance and refining flight schedules to enhance on-time performance. Our fleet expansion will involve a combination of both narrow-bodied and wide-bodied aircrafts to cater to varied network needs. The excitement and shared commitment to drive Vihaan.ai is palpable across the organisation and stakeholders will recognise the changes as the new face of Air India emerges."