National, 2^nd August 2023: Air India, India’s leading global carrier, has expanded and enhanced its network of lounges across airports in India and at all overseas destinations, as it continues to enhance the travel experience for its premium customers.

Since embarking on its comprehensive, 5-year transformation plan, Vihaan.AI, Air India has increased the coverage of lounge access from 16 to 26 airports in India, having entered partnerships with airport lounges at Dibrugarh, Indore, Jammu, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Nagpur, Patna, Srinagar, and Vadodara. 

Additionally, at 11 airports where no lounges are available, Air India has partnered with the best available food courts. In total, Air India’s premium guests are now able to enjoy services at lounges or food courts at 37 airports across India. 

Outside of the country, Air India has enhanced its lounge offering by partnering with the best available lounges at multiple airports, achieving 100% lounge access coverage for premium customers at all 41 destinations in its international route network. 

The carrier has now expanded its lounge network to Chicago (Swissport Lounge), New York-Newark Liberty (SAS Lounge), and Tokyo Narita (Japan Airlines’ Sakura Lounge). At Bangkok and Dhaka airports, it has moved to the Singapore Airlines’ SilverKris Lounge and Balaka Executive Lounge, respectively. 

Air India has its own, signature lounges at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3) and New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport). 

The lounge services are available to guests flying First or Business Class, and to eligible members of Air India’s frequent flyer programme, Flying Returns, and to those of other Star Alliance member airlines. 

“The expansion of our lounge network is an important step in our ongoing efforts to enhance premium offerings as a full-service carrier, and in so doing, build greater loyalty among guests. We are happy to be able to offer this experience at nearly all airports that we operate in India and abroad. Further, we will also be enhancing our signature lounge experience at Delhi and New York Airports wherein major modernisation work will be commencing soon.”

Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience & Ground Handling Officer, Air India

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 and also connects with non-stop flights to cities around the world, across 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.

It has committed over USD 400MM to completely refit the interiors of all wide-body aircraft and has also planned an investment of over USD 200MM in digital and technology. In January 2023, as part of its transformation efforts, Air India placed the industry’s largest ever order of 470 aircraft across Boeing and Airbus and these will start joining its fleet from later this year. With its enhanced fleet, network and improved on-time performance, the airline is revamping its customer proposition.

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