NEW DELHI- Tata Group-owned Air India (AI) is implementing a new travel policy for its executives. Starting April 1, 2025, all staff members, including top executives, will be required to fly in economy class for domestic flights. Senior pilots will adopt this policy from June onwards, reported TOI.
Employees can only access premium economy or business class seats if these remain unsold 50 minutes before the flight’s departure. This approach ensures that paying customers have priority access to premium seats.
Photo: Air IndiaAir India New Travel Policy
Air India demonstrates the airline’s commitment to maximizing revenue, improving customer experience, and creating a more egalitarian approach to employee travel.
The policy applies uniformly across the organization, from entry-level staff to top management, even CEO, signalling a transparent and equal treatment approach.
The airline will allocate premium seats only under specific conditions. Seats in premium economy or business class will be available to staff exclusively if unsold 50 minutes before departure.
“After privatisation, AI has seen the sale of premium seats double. We want the best seats to be available for our paying customers. From next month, even the airline CEO will be upgraded to PY or business on domestic flights only if there are vacant seats in those classes 50 minutes before departure time.”
TOI Sources
By mandating economy class travel for all staff, Air India is signalling a cultural shift towards operational efficiency and a customer-first approach. This policy underscores the airline’s commitment to transparency, cost management, and equitable treatment across organizational levels.
Photo: Air IndiaAir India’s Premium Seats
Currently, Air India (AI) offers 50,000 premium economy seats weekly across 39 domestic routes.
The company projects this number will increase to over 65,000 by October, demonstrating significant expansion in premium travel options.
Objective
Tata Group, which acquired Air India in January 2022, is investing substantially in transforming the airline’s image and operational standards. The new travel policy aligns with the company’s broader objective of creating a world-class airline experience.
By restricting staff access to premium seats, Air India aims to ensure maximum availability for revenue-generating passengers
The airline is undertaking an extensive fleet modernization program. A US$400 million cabin retrofit initiative is currently underway, with 53 Airbus A320 family planes from the merged Vistara fleet featuring 24 premium economy seats each.
Sixteen Air India A320 family planes have already been upgraded, with 25 more legacy aircraft scheduled for retrofit by October 2025.
Long Term Goals
The policy reflects the broader transformation Air India (AI) has been experiencing since Tata Group’s acquisition. The company has placed a record order for new aircraft, leased relatively new planes, and initiated a comprehensive fleet upgrade program.
Despite global supply chain constraints affecting the pace of modifications, the airline remains committed to its modernization goals.
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