Air India Express is a low-cost airline

Low-cost carrier

A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...

 subsidiary of Air India

Air India

Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...

, operating mainly from Indian state of Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

. It operates services mainly to the Middle East

Middle East

The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

 and Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...

. The airline belongs to Air India Charters

Air India Charters

Air India Charters Limited is a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India. Headquartered in Mumbai, India, this subsidiary of Air India operates low cost carrier Air India Express from India to the Gulf and Southeast Asia....

 Limited, a whole owned subsidiary of Air India Limited, which was formed in order to facilitate the seamless merger of Air India

Air India

Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...

 and Indian

Indian (airline)

Indian , formerly Indian Airlines was a major Indian airline based in Delhi and focused primarily on domestic routes, along with several international services to neighbouring countries in Asia. It was state-owned, and was administered by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It was one of the two flag...

. Today Air India Express operates nearly 100 flights per week, mainly from southern states of Tamilnadu and Kerala in India.

History

The airline was established in May 2004, after a long demand from Malayalee expatriate communities living in Middle East, seeking for a low cost budget airline. The airline started operations on 29 April 2005 with a flight from Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...

 to Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...

. Delivery of the first aircraft for Air India Express took place on 22 February 2005 when a new production Boeing 737-86Q (leased from Boullioun Aviation Services) was handed over.

Tail Art

Each Air-India Express aircraft features a different tail design that reflects a facet of Indian culture, history and tradition.

Air-India Express liveries

	Registration	Left Tail	Photo	Right Tail	Photo
1	VT-AXA	Thrissur Pooram Thrissur Pooram Pooram is one of the nakshatras or star in the Hindu panchangam. There are 27 Nakshatras in the Hindu panchangam and a million or more temples in Kerala, and this combination creates numerous possibilities for auspicious occasions, with each temple having varying importance for the different stars...  elephant		Pushkar Fair Pushkar Fair The Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar ka Mela, is the annual five-day camel and livestock fair, held in the town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, India...  camel
2	VT-AXB	Rangoli Rangoli Rangoli is a traditional decorative folk art from India. These are decorative designs made on floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals and are meant as sacred welcoming areas for the Hindu deities. The ancient symbols have been passed on through the ages, from each generation to...		Indian Kite Kite A kite is a tethered aircraft. The necessary lift that makes the kite wing fly is generated when air flows over and under the kite's wing, producing low pressure above the wing and high pressure below it. This deflection also generates horizontal drag along the direction of the wind...
3	VT-AXC	Sitar Sitar The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...		Tabla Tabla The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
4	VT-AXD	Nilavilakku Nilavilakku Nilavilakku is a lighted bell metal traditional lamp used commonly in Kerala, South India. Nilam in the Malayalam language means ground and Vilakku means lamp. Nilam and vilakku have exactly the same meaning in the older cognate Tamil language. Nilavilakku is the symbol of Shiva LingaThe...  (Oil lamp)		Diya Diya (light) A Diya, divaa, deepam, or deepak is an oil lamp usually made from clay, with a cotton wick dipped in ghee or vegetable oils....  (Oil lamp)
5	VT-AXE	Kathakali Kathakali Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...  dancer		Bharatanatyam Bharatanatyam Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...  dancer
6	VT-AXF	Konark Konark Konark is a small town in Puri district in the state of Orissa, India, on the Bay of Bengal, sixty-five kilometers from Bhubaneswar. It is the site of the 13th-century Sun Temple , built in black granite by King Narasimhadeva-I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is a World Heritage Site...  Sun Temple		Taj Mahal Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
7	VT-AXG	Indian jewellery		Saree
8	VT-AXH	India Gate India Gate The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built in 1931...		Gateway of India Gateway of India Its design is a combination of both Hindu and Muslim architectural styles, the arch is in Muslim style while the decorations are in Hindu style. The Gateway is built from yellow basalt and reinforced concrete. The stone was locally obtained, and the perforated screens were brought from Gwalior.The...
9	VT-AXI	Indian art		Indian art
10	VT-AXJ	Red Fort		Red Fort
11	VT-AXM	Mehrangarh Fort Mehrangarh Fort Mehrangarh Fort, located in Jodhpur city in Rajasthan state, is one of the largest forts in India.The fort is situated 400 feet above the city and is enclosed by imposing thick walls. Inside its boundaries there are several palaces known for their intricate carvings and expansive courtyards. A...		Mysore Palace Mysore Palace The Palace of Mysore is a palace situated in the city of Mysore in southern India. It is the official residence of the Wodeyars - the erstwhile royal family of Mysore, and also houses two durbar halls ....
12	VT-AXN	Hawa Mahal Hawa Mahal Hawa Mahal , is a palace in Jaipur, India. It was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and designed by Lal Chand Ustad in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god...		Ujjayanta Palace Ujjayanta Palace Ujjayanta Palace is a former royal palace situated in Agartala, the capital of the Indian state of Tripura, and currently serves as the meeting place of the Tripura Legislative Assembly. Ujjayanta Palace is a tourist attraction of Agartala, and tours are conducted by the Tripura Tourism Department...
13	VT-AXP	Hamsa Damayanthi		Indian art
14	VT-AXQ	Qutub Minar Qutub Minar Qutub Minar also Qutb Minar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Delhi, India. The Qutub Minar is constructed with red sandstone and marble, and is the tallest minaret in India, with a height of 72.5 meters , contains 379 stairs to reach the top, and the diameter of base is 14.3 meters...		Jantar Mantar
15	VT-AXR	Snake Boat Race		Kalaripayattu
16	VT-AXT	Indian Peacock		Painted Stork Painted Stork The Painted Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family. It is found in the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in South Asia and extending into Southeast Asia. Their distinctive pink tertial feathers give them their name. They forage in flocks in shallow waters...
17	VT-AXU	Bihu Bihu Bihu denotes a set of three different cultural festivals of Assam and celebrated by the Assamese diaspora around the world. Though they owe their origins to ancient rites and practices they have taken definite urban features and have become popular festivals in urban and commercialized milieus in...		Garba Garba (dance) Garba is an Indian form of dance that originated in the Gujarat region. The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term Garbha and Deep . Many traditional garbas are performed around a central lit lamp or picture/statues of different avatars of Goddess Shakti...
18	VT-AXV	Victoria Memorial		Konark Sun Temple Konark Sun Temple Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Sun Temple , at Konark, in Orissa. It was constructed from oxidized and weathered ferruginous sandstone by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is an example of Orissan architecture of Ganga dynasty...
19	VT-AXW	Sanchi Stupa Sanchi Sanchi is a small village in Raisen District of the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, it is located 46 km north east of Bhopal, and 10 km from Besnagar and Vidisha in the central part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the location of several Buddhist monuments dating from the 3rd...		Charminar Charminar Charminar built in 1591 AD, is a landmark monument located in Hyderabad, India. The two words Char Minar of Urdu language are combined to which it is known as Charminar . These are four ornate minarets attached and supported by four grand arches, it has become the global icon of Hyderabad and is...
20	VT-AXX	Beach Beach A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...		Himalayas Himalayas The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
21	VT-AXZ	Dal Lake Dal Lake Dal Lake is a lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of the northernmost Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The urban lake, which is the second largest in the state, is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir and is nicknamed the "Jewel in the crown of Kashmir" or "Srinagar's Jewel"...		Thar Desert Thar Desert The Thar Desert |Punjab]] province. The Cholistan Desert adjoins the Thar desert spreading into Pakistani Punjab province.-Location and description:...
22	VT-AYA	Ellora elephant statue Ellora Caves Ellora is an archaeological site, from the city of Aurangabad in the Indian state of Maharashtra built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty . Well-known for its monumental caves, Ellora is a World Heritage Site. Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture. The 34 "caves" – actually...		Ajanta cave painting
23	VT-AYB	White tiger White tiger The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially from the former State of Rewa.-Color comparison:...		Chital Chital The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...
24	VT-AYC	Naga Woollen Shawl Shawl A shawl is a simple item of clothing, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, that is often folded to make a triangle but can also be triangular in shape...		Pataola Saree
25	VT-AYD	Nagaland Folk Dance		Manipuri Dance Manipuri dance Manipuri dance is one of the major Indian classical dance forms. It originates from Manipur, a state in north-eastern India on the border with Myanmar . In Manipur, surrounded by mountains and geographically isolated at the meeting point of the orient and mainland India, the form developed its own...

Fleet

The Air-India Express fleet includes the following aircraft (at May 2010):

Air-India Express Fleet

Aircraft	In Service	Passengers (Economy)	Notes
Boeing 737-800	17	186
	4	189
Total	21

As of May 2010 the average age of the Air-India Express Fleet is 2.9 years

Inflight service

Despite being a low cost carrier, Air India Express offers a complimentary pre-set snack box or light meal to its passengers with veg and non veg options. Limited entertainment facilities are available for passengers.

Accidents & Incidents

On 22 May 2010, Air India Express Flight 812

Air India Express Flight 812

Air India Express Flight 812 was a scheduled passenger service from Dubai to Mangalore which at around 01:00 UTC on 22 May 2010, overshot the runway on landing, fell over a cliff and caught fire, spreading wreckage across the surrounding hillside...

, a Boeing 737-800 (registered VT-AXV), flying on the Dubai

Dubai

Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...

 – Mangalore

Mangalore

Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...

 route overshot runway 24 on landing at Mangalore International Airport

Mangalore International Airport

Mangalore Airport, formerly known as Bajpe Airport, is a domestic and customs airport serving the coastal city of Mangalore, India...

, killing 152 passengers and 6 crew members of the 166 people on board. The aircraft crashed into a wooded valley at the end of the runway and burst into flames. Only 8 people survived the crash and 8 people did not board the craft.

• On 25 May 2010, an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 flying from Dubai to Pune, India experienced a sudden 7,000 foot drop when the co-pilot bumped the control column while adjusting his seat. The captain, who was outside of the cockpit at the time of the incident, returned to the cockpit and recovered the 737 from its dive.

External links

• Air India Express