BENGALURU: Air India and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport inked an agreement to develop Bengaluru as a premier aviation hub for Southern India. The objective is to boost air travel connectivity to and from India in the near future.
A release from BIAL said, “The agreement marks a significant milestone in the Indian aviation industry. Air India (along with other Tata Group airlines - AIX and Vistara) and BIAL will collaborate to enhance international connectivity, operational efficiency, and passenger experience over the next five years.”
This includes strengthening the group’s presence at KIA by an enhanced network and establishing a dedicated domestic lounge for premium and frequent travellers of Tata Group airlines Air India and Vistara, it added.
As part of this initiative, Air India also signed an MoU with the State government to establish comprehensive Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at KIA.
“This underscores Air India’s commitment to strengthen its presence in Bengaluru and over time, expand its global footprint to meet the growing demand for direct long-haul routes originating from Southern India. This partnership will stimulate the MRO ecosystem and is projected to generate over 1,200 new job opportunities for highly skilled individuals in the state.”
Campbell Wilson, MD and CEO, Air India, said, “Airline-airport synergy is key to elevated customer experience and efficient operations, while Bengaluru is highly attractive as an origin and destination market as well as a connecting hub. We are therefore delighted to be strengthening our relationship with BIAL to develop a greater presence at the airport, expanding air connectivity as well as building a major MRO centre. This partnership agreement is a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of Air India.”
Hari Marar, MD and CEO, BIAL, said, “As the busiest airport in South India, Bengaluru airport is dedicated to strengthening its position as the primary international gateway in Southern and Central India. This collaboration aligns perfectly with the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s vision of developing Indian airports as hubs, reflecting our commitment to enhancing the passenger experience. Given that over half of the international outbound travellers from Bengaluru and our catchment head to Europe, North America, Australia, and the Far East, our alliance with Air India represents a substantial leap towards this goal. We aim to capture a significant share of long-haul routes from BLR Airport over the next five years.”