New Delhi, 1 Oct

"Once all the red birds came home, we officially sunset the 'I5' code," Air India Express chief Aloke Singh told employees on Tuesday as the merger of AIX Connect with the airline became a reality. And the last flight of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with 'I5' code was from Goa to Bengaluru on Monday night.

Interestingly, the first flight of AirAsia India, which started flying in 2014, was from Bengaluru to Goa. The merged entity is now operating under the name 'Air India Express's and airline code 'IX'. "Last night (Monday night), once all the red birds came home, we officially sunset the I5 code. The historic - if a bit emotional - moment was captured in the cabin announcement made by Capt Nishanth Nair, who operated the last I5-coded flight," Singh said in a message to the employees.

After the name change to AIX Connect, the tails of aircraft of erstwhile AirAsia India were painted red. Singh also said they received the last of the regulatory approvals by half past midnight after which all operations seamlessly transitioned to the 'IX' code.

The merged entity's fleet, which currently stands at 88 planes, is expected to cross 100 aircraft by the end of this financial year. "The number of routes AIX operates has risen from 74 to 171, and passenger carriage has increased by over 400 per cent since the take over of Air India by Tata group in early 2022," Air India Group said in a release.

Air India Express, which commenced operations in 2005, was earlier steered by the government and is now a subsidiary of Tata Group-owned Air India. AirAsia India, which took off as a budget carrier jointly owned by Tatas and Malaysia's AirAsia Berhad in 2014, was rechristened as AIX Connect in December 2022 following the exit of the Malaysian carrier from the venture.

After giving its approval, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday said the merger sets a new benchmark for future airline consolidation in the country.

"Effective October 1, 2024, all aircraft of AIX Connect have been transferred seamlessly onto the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of AIX, ensuring that airline operations of the combined entity continue without disruption to ensure a safe and smooth passenger experience," DGCA said in a release. Both airlines are part of Tata Group, which will also be merging Vistara with Air India next month.