Air India’s New Logo & Enhanced Flying Experience Starting Dec 2023 – Competing with Emirates & Qatar Airways

Air India Unveils New Logo on Thursday – Tata Group’s Airline Adopts Emblem After 15 Months of Collaboration. Inspired by Ashoka Chakra, the new design features golden, red, and purple colors, reflecting the airline’s bold and confident outlook for limitless possibilities and future.

This logo has been designed in collaboration with Future Brands, a London-based brand and design consultancy firm. Air India’s first Airbus A350 with the new logo and makeover will be introduced in December 2023. Future Brands has worked on branding with American Airlines and British luxury automobile brand Bentley.

Here are 5 important aspects related to Air India’s rebranding:

1. Inclusion of Gold Window Frame in New Logo: The new Air India logo features the iconic red letters, but with a distinct font. It incorporates a gold window frame. The airline stated, “The logo reflects boundless possibilities and showcases a bold, confident outlook for the airline’s unlimited potential and future.
2. Maharaja Brand’s Segment to Continue: Air India’s iconic Maharaja mascot will endure. The Maharaja was designed in 1946 by Umesh Rao, an artist from Voltas Thompson’s advertising agency, under the guidance of Air India’s former Commercial Director Bobby Kooka. Subsequent modifications were also made to the mascot’s appearance. Air India’s CEO and MD, Campbell Wilson, stated that the Maharaja will now primarily feature in the airline’s domestic flights. This decision stems from the fact that the Maharaja doesn’t resonate as much with international travelers. The Maharaja will be reserved for use in the premium class.
3. New Logo Symbolizes Limitless Possibilities: Tata Sons’ Chairman, N. Chandrasekaran, indicated that the new logo symbolizes boundless possibilities. The airline needs significant efforts to compete on a global scale. The company is currently focusing on upgrading all human resources to enhance its current fleet. Regarding the current fleet, Chandrasekaran mentioned that Air India has placed a substantial order for new aircraft, but it will take some time for the new aircraft to arrive. In the meantime, we’ll have to revamp our existing fleet and bring it to an acceptable standard.
4. Plans to Compete with Airlines like Emirates: Air India aims to compete with carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways alongside its new rebranding efforts. In January 2022, the Tata group secured the airline for INR 18,000 crore from the Indian government. In September 2022, Air India acquired Vihaan.AI, a roadmap for transforming the airline into a global carrier, embarking on a significant transformation journey.
5. Aircraft Refurbishment at a Cost of INR 3,300 Crores: Air India’s CEO mentioned that the airline has invested around $400 million, approximately INR 3,300 crores, in refurbishing aircraft to date. Air India will witness several other changes in the coming days, including the launch of new lounges at Delhi and New York’s JFK airports. A new website and mobile app are also in the process of development.
   

Order Placed for 470 Aircraft During Past:

During the past, the airline had placed an order for 470 aircraft. In this deal, Air India is set to receive 250 aircraft from the French company Airbus and 220 aircraft from the American company Boeing. 31 aircraft will enter service by the end of the year, with the remainder expected to arrive by mid-2025. This deal has received approval from DGCA as well.

Currently, Air India’s fleet comprises 120 aircraft, including the Airbus A320 family and Boeing’s wide-body 777 and 787 aircraft.

Air India’s Inception in 1932: Air India’s inception took place in April 1932. It was established by industrialist J.R.D. Tata. At that time, it was known as Tata Airlines. J.R.D. Tata, who at the age of only 15, had piloted an aircraft for the first time as a hobby in 1919. However, this hobby had turned into a fascination, and J.R.D. Tata eventually obtained his pilot’s license.

First Commercial Flight on October 15, 1932: The airline’s first commercial flight took place on October 15, 1932. At that time, a single-engine ‘Havilland Puss Moth’ aircraft was used, which flew from Karachi to Mumbai via Ahmedabad. During this flight, there were no passengers on board, but it carried 25 kilograms of mail. The mail was brought from London to Karachi by ‘Imperial Airways,’ a British airline. This airline was known for its royal connections and was later named BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation). In 1933, Tata Airlines operated its first flight with passengers on board after this initial mail flight.

Nationalization of Air India in 1954: Air India was nationalized in 1954, and after this, the government established two separate companies. Indian Airlines was established for domestic services, and Air India was designated for international routes. However, the company faced financial difficulties and remained unprofitable until the year 2000. In 2001, it incurred a loss of INR 57 crores for the first time.

Tata Takes Over on January 27, 2022: On January 27, 2022, Tata Sons took over Air India. The government-owned airline was privatized and acquired by Tata Sons. Following this acquisition, Air India became the second-largest airline in the country, making Tata Sons one of the major players in the aviation industry. The Chairman of Tata Sons met Prime Minister Narendra Modi before finalizing the acquisition of Air India.