By Staff Correspondent
Tata Group’s acquisition of Air India is poised to redefine the aerial routes, with the airline embarking on an expansive consolidation across its multifarious routes, intensifying its presence and streamlining operations. This stride aims to exploit the cumulative network of the conglomerate’s quartet of airlines to its utmost potential.
The projections by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for 2022-2023 anticipate that Air India, coupled with Vistara, is likely to solidify its presence in 48 origin-destination pairs, straddling across 96 pivotal routes, as per data scrutinised by Mint. Distinctive routes such as Mumbai-Trivandrum and Delhi-Varanasi, amongst others, already witness cohabitation of these full-service carriers, offering diversified options to the consumer.
Remarkably, multiple overlapping domestic circuits feature at least three of Tata Group’s airlines, such as AirAsia India and Air India, highlighting routes like Bengaluru-Delhi and Mumbai-Goa.
Navigating International Skies: In the international arena, the analysis uncovers 24 origin-destination pairs witnessing operational overlap by a consortium of airlines including Air India Express and Singapore Airlines. For instance, routes such as Delhi-Singapore are being served by multiple carriers under the Tata Group, paving the way for heightened connectivity and consumer choice.
Following the green light for the Vistara-Air India merger in September, Air India has made strategic commitments to maintain optimal capacity on several domestic routes and minimise capacity where the share surpasses 50% on international circuits, ensuring network efficiency and consumer-centric spread of schedules.
Strategic Synchronisation & Competitive Landscape: Campbell Wilson, Air India’s Chief Executive, delineated the strategic synchronisation post-merger, emphasising the complementary functioning of the businesses to avoid internal competition and offer enhanced choices to consumers.
Furthermore, the ensuing months are anticipated to witness a meticulous revamp of both international and domestic networks, with the merged entity of Air India Express and AirAsia India predominantly operating under a low-cost model.
The current competitive landscape, illuminated by the recent orders by the CCI, emphasises the intense contention amongst domestic titans like IndiGo and Akasa Air, with market shares being redistributed and new entrants carving their niche in significant routes like Delhi-Pune.
The Trajectory Ahead: This strategic consolidation and the evolved competitive dynamics underscore a potential shift in the Indian aviation sector’s trajectory. The reinforced presence of Air India across diverse routes and the strategic interplay amongst Tata Group’s varied airlines might not just reorganise the current air traffic but could also signify a paradigmatic shift in consumer choices and the overall aviation experience.
The structured integration and strategic enhancements within the airlines under the Tata Group depict a nuanced roadmap for Air India, which could potentially reshape the contours of the Indian aviation sector, marking new horizons in the competitive skies.
