| | NOVEMBER 202319the merger laws for Air India Express and AirAsia India, Air India has applied to the DGCA, the regulator of civil aviation. Before the NCLT approves the merger process, the company wants permission to cross-utilize pilots and cabin personnel and sell tickets under a single brand. With such clearance, the two airlines will be able to plan routes more efficiently, promote more effectively, and sell tickets as a single company. By utilizing each other's crews, it will also result in cost savings for operations.Forging A Collaboration with MicrosoftMicrosoft and Air India worked together in December of last year to increase efficiency and cut costs. Employees across the organization of Air India will be able to work more productively and securely thanks to the adoption of Microsoft 365 tools and its security solutions, according to the airline. Every airline employee will be able to interact, communicate, and cooperate with other staff members anywhere in the world, thanks to the enterprise-wide use of Microsoft technologies.Next Level of Customer ExperienceIn April, Air India updated its in-flight food and beverage offerings across all cabins on all international flights departing from India, as part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing the traveler experience.The company said that the menu updates were made in response to customer input and are intended to provide tourists with various gourmet meals, appetizers, and delicious desserts, which will show India's locally derived culinary influence while adhering to the healthy eating trend. A variety of premium spirits are now available on the airline's bar menu, along with a carefully curated wine list that includes top French and Italian wines.The airline has extended NPS during the past three months to include every aspect of the physical customer journey, including check-in, lounges, the flight experience, and the arrival procedure. It will also be extended to the internet and call center interactions.The FleetLast month, Air India finalized an order for 220 brand-new Boeing jets and 250 Airbus planes totaling $70 billion at list prices. The orders are for 70 widebody aircraft, including 20 787 Dreamliners and 10 777Xs from Boeing, 34 A350-1000s, and six A350-900s from Airbus. Additionally, it has 190 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody aircraft, 140 Airbus A320neo, 70 Airbus A321neo, and 70 Airbus A321neo.Additionally, the airline has signed options to purchase from Boeing an additional 70 aircraft, including 20 787 Dreamliners and 50 737 MAXs. Later this year, the Airbus A350 will take the lead in delivering the new aircraft, with the majority of the order arriving starting in mid-2025.To speed up the expansion of its fleet and network, Air India has already begun taking charge of 25 leased A320 and 11 leased B777 aircraft. Within five years, according to CEO Wilson, the airline will fly the most cutting-edge and fuel-efficient aircraft across its route network thanks to an aggressive program for fleet renewal and expansion. THE AIRLINE FINISHED THE FIRST PHASE OF VIHAAN.AI THIS YEAR AND DECLARED THAT THE SECOND PHASE OF ITS TRANSFORMATION WOULD FOCUS ON CREATING THE PLATFORMS, PROCEDURES, AND SYSTEMS REQUIRED TO PROGRESS TOWARD EXCELLENCE
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