It is a known fact that during the past decade or so, Indians, prominently south Indians have been travelling outside the country, mainly gulf nations with prospects of a better job and life. Most of them ended up having not-so-jobs in these countries, and the issue of homecoming became a serious concern for them. Air lines used to charge hefty prices for their air tickets and then when all other particulars regarding the various processes were taken into consideration; it took a heavy toll on their savings that they intended to bring back home.
Air India Express was born out of all these tribulations. Middle class Indian workers, more or less concentrated in these gulf nations, urged the honorable government to undertake any such project that would be providing them with low cost airline services. Thus it became existent.
Air India Express does not belong to the private sector ownership scheme. In fact it is managed by the Air India charters, which houses Air India and Indian Airlines, the official airline service provided and managed by the government of India itself. The first air travel under this newly inaugurated fleet took place in the year 2005, on 29th April, where the passengers to Abu Dhabi took off from Trivandrum International airport, in Kerala.
As far as the fleet strength of Air India Express is considered, it owns 21 Boeing 737-800. The efficiency of this venture has become such good that now it operates at the rate of around 100 flights a week. The operation is mainly from the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. For the matter of fact, Kochi International airport and Thiruvananthapuram International airports serve as the main operating center for it. Even though, during the time when it was installed, the services were limited to south India, but then it grew over and now it has services to the main airports in our country. Along with the gulf nations, some southeastern Asian countries are also covered under the services provided. Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok are included among the destinations covered in south east Asia, while the main attention has been provided to gulf national destinations like Kuwait, Sharjah, Dubai, Muscat, Oman among others.
One good thing about Air India Express that the government has done is that it has tried to revive or culture, in a very extraordinary way. All the flights included in the fleet, have their tails, both right and left, painted with art which hold importance as far as the Indian culture is concerned, like Taj Mahal, Gateway, Red Fort among many others. This initiative was taken with a view of making the world aware about the rich cultural and artistic heritage that our country possess, and that are centuries old.
The only dent in the otherwise excellent services of Air India Express was the accident that took place on May 22, 2010, though it was later realized as the flaw of the airport's slippery runway. Else it is indeed an airline carrier that maintains the international standards of working along with the cheap travelling services for the passengers.
