New Delhi: Nearly 16 months after the Tata Group took over its operations, Air India Thursday unveiled a new brand identity and new aircraft livery, as part of its transformation programme. The new logo, called ‘The Vista’, is inspired by the peak of the gold window frame, signifying “limitless possibilities, progressiveness, and the airline’s bold, confident outlook for the future,” the company said.
The airline added that the iconic Maharaja logo will continue to be a part of the airline and that the new logo will be visible throughout the customer journey starting from December 2023, when the first Airbus A350 with the new livery will join the fleet.
Speaking at the unveiling event in New Delhi, N. Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, said the airline is not just another business for the group, but a passion and a national mission. “Our aim and job is to make this airline a truly world-class iconic airline that every Indian will be proud of. We are fully committed, we are all in,” he said.
Chandrasekaran added that he gets at least a couple of emails every day either appreciating the airline or expressing “caring criticism” about it, which further strengthens the airline’s commitment.
“Our vision is to make this airline world-class in terms of safety, technology, exceptional in terms of customer service, and experience that Air India used to be known for. But this requires an enormous amount of work…It requires a lot of work on technology, fleet, maintenance, ground handling and all aspects of operations,” he highlighted.
Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO and MD, who was also present at the event, said, “The new Air India is bold, confident, and vibrant, but also warm and deeply rooted in its rich history and traditions that make Indian hospitality a global benchmark for standards in service.”
The new brand identity has been designed in partnership with the brand transformation company FutureBrand. “The rumours of his (Maharaja’s) demise have been greatly exaggerated… the Maharaja will be there,” Wilson said.
The airline’s new aircraft livery and design features a palette of deep red, aubergine, and gold highlights as well as a chakra-inspired pattern. “It also boasts a striking new custom-made ‘Air India Sans’ font, marrying confidence with warmth to position Air India as premium, inclusive, and accessible,” the company said in a release.
The airline added that it aims to fly an entirely new long haul fleet by the end of 2026, and there will also be a phased launch of new Air India website, mobile application, loyalty programme and refitted interiors.
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As part of its transformation journey, Air India, earlier this year, announced purchase agreements to acquire 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing with deliveries of the new aircraft expected to begin this November onwards.
It had also announced a USD 400 million programme to completely refurbish the interiors of its legacy fleet of 43 widebody aircraft commencing mid-2024, which will lead to the installation of brand-new seats in every cabin, new inflight entertainment systems, and inflight Wi-Fi internet connectivity.
Chandrasekaran pointed out that the airline was also upgrading all human resources aspects, adding that the best of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning would be deployed at the airline.
“Our fleet requires a lot of work. While we have ordered one of the largest fleet orders, it will take time. In the meantime, we have to refurbish our current fleet at an acceptable level. Our aim is to have the best of machine learning and the best of AI in Air India than any other airline,” he said.
Moreover, according to the airline, by March 2024, 33 per cent of the airline’s widebody fleet will be upgraded, and over the next two-and-a-half years, its entire long-haul fleet will be reborn. Further, the airline said it has hired more than 5,000 new staff, including 3,200 cabin crew and nearly 1,000 cockpit crew.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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