AIR INDIA AND BIAL ENTER AGREEMENT INTENDED TO DEVELOP BENGALURU AS A PREMIER AVIATION HUB FOR SOUTHERN INDIA
§ Plan includes enhanced international connectivity, dedicated lounge in T2 Domestic area for premium customers of Tata Group airlines, and MRO facility
Air India, India’s leading global airline, and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) have entered into an agreement intended to develop Bengaluru as a premier aviation hub for southern India, with an aim to boost air travel connectivity to and from India over the next few years
The agreement marks a significant milestone in the Indian aviation industry. Air India (along with other Tata Group airlines – AIX and Vistara) and BIAL will collaborate to enhance international connectivity, operational efficiency, and passenger experience over the next five years.
This includes strengthening the group’s presence at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB or BLR airport) through an enhanced network and establishing a dedicated domestic lounge for premium and frequent travellers of Tata Group airlines Air India and Vistara.
As part of this initiative, Air India has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Karnataka to establish comprehensive Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities at BLR airport. This underscores Air India’s commitment to strengthening its presence in Bengaluru and over time, expand its global footprint to meet the growing demand for direct long-haul routes originating from Southern India. This partnership will stimulate the MRO ecosystem and is projected to generate over 1,200 new job opportunities for highly skilled individuals in the state.
Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India said, “Airline-airport synergy is key to elevated customer experience and efficient operations, while Bengaluru is highly attractive as an origin and destination market as well as a connecting hub. We are therefore delighted to be strengthening our relationship with BIAL with a view to developing a greater presence at the airport, expanding air connectivity as well as building a major MRO center. This partnership agreement is a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of Air India.”
Hari Marar, Managing Director and CEO, Bangalore International Airport Limited, said, “As the busiest airport in South India, BLR Airport is dedicated to strengthening its position as the primary international gateway in Southern and Central India. This collaboration aligns perfectly with the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s vision of developing Indian airports as hubs, reflecting our commitment to enhancing the passenger experience. Given that over half of the international outbound travellers from Bengaluru and our catchment head to Europe, North America, Australia, and the Far East, our alliance with Air India represents a substantial leap towards this goal. We aim to capture a significant share of long-haul routes from BLR Airport over the next five years.”
About Bangalore International Airport Limited
Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru closed the Calendar Year 2023 with more than 37.2 million passengers and processing 422,644 Metric Tonnes of Cargo. As the busiest Airport in South India and the third largest in the Country, BLR Airport achieved a significant milestone in December 2023 by crossing the 300 million passenger mark since the launch of its operations or Airport Opening Day (AOD). In terms of Cargo, BLR Airport continues to be the No. 1 Airport for processing perishable cargo in India for the third consecutive year. Operations at BLR Airport’s Terminal 2 (T2) started in January 2023. The 255,000 square-meter T2 is built on the principles of four pillars: technological leadership; being a terminal in a garden; environmental and ecological stewardship; and a celebration of Karnataka’s rich heritage and culture.
About Air India
Founded by the legendary JRD Tata, Air India pioneered India’s aviation sector. Since its first flight on October 15, 1932, Air India has built an extensive domestic network with non-stop flights to cities around the world, across the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Far-East, South-East Asia, Australia, and the Gulf. After 69 years as a government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were welcomed back into the Tata group in January 2022.
Air India is navigating through a major five-year transformation roadmap under the aegis of Vihaan.AI, with an ambition to become a world class airline with an Indian heart. The first phase of this transformation, the taxi phase was recently concluded, and focused on fixing the basics. These included bringing back to service many long grounded aircraft, addition of talent across flying and ground functions, rapid upgradation of technology and strengthening of customer care initiatives amongst others. A member of Star Alliance, the largest global airline consortium of leading international airlines, Air India offers seamless connectivity and facilities to passengers all over the world.
