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Arabian Post
11-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Loyyal Expands Maharaja Club with Global Shopping Rewards
Air India has partnered with blockchain-based loyalty specialist Loyyal to allow Maharaja Club members to earn points on everyday purchases across key brands in the United States and the United Kingdom. The collaboration enables members to accrue Maharaja Points on shopping at major retailers such as Walmart, Victoria's Secret, New Balance, GAP, Victorinox and Alamo – marking a significant expansion of the airline's loyalty programme. Members now earn up to 99 Maharaja Points per USD 100 spent at Walmart, 310 points per GBP 100 at Victoria's Secret, 300 points at Victorinox, 45 at New Balance, 180 at GAP and 64 points at Alamo. These offerings are accessible via the Maharaja Club Partner Offers page on Air India's website, where members can select a brand and follow on-screen prompts to initiate their purchases. Shailesh Kumar Singh, Head of Loyalty at Air India, commented that the alliance with Loyyal 'makes it easier for our members to earn Maharaja Points on everyday essentials and shopping, without needing to fly frequently'. Meanwhile, Loyyal CEO Ashish Kumar Singh noted that the initiative 'significantly boosts the earning potential for Maharaja Club's members,' adding that it enriches daily experiences and complements travel benefits. ADVERTISEMENT The partnership follows a broader revamp of the Maharaja Club, which adopted a simplified tier structure, updated identity and enhanced customer features. Air India has added more than 50 non-airline partners over the last 18 months, supporting its transformation under the strategy and leveraging its Star Alliance membership. The move aligns with global loyalty trends, where airlines increasingly engage shoppers via retail partnerships. By enabling points accrual through non-travel spend, loyalty programmes become more relevant to everyday consumer behaviour, fostering engagement beyond flight activity. Consumers, meanwhile, gain tangible value even during non-travel periods. Maharaja Club's integration with Star Alliance further enhances its value proposition. As noted by Air India's own commentary, elite-tier members benefit from worldwide priority check-in, lounge access at over 1,100 locations, extra baggage allowance, and the ability to accrue and redeem points across the alliance's 25 carriers. These features remain central to the programme's repositioning. Industry analysts highlight that Loyyal's blockchain-based platform offers secure, transparent point tracking and easier integration of diverse partners. Though Air India and Loyyal have not disclosed technical details publicly, Loyyal's existing reputation in travel loyalty schemes supports confidence in seamless implementation. Under the agreement, Air India continues to broaden access to Maharaja Points across shopping categories. The move targets customers traveling abroad or residing outside India, reinforcing Air India's global outreach following its Tata Group-led transformation. In support, the programme emphasises that points can be redeemed for award flights and cabin upgrades through Air India or Star Alliance partners. The timing of the launch coincides with Air India's widened network with new interline agreements and route expansions, such as recent pacts with airlines like airBaltic, Cyprus Airways and Uzbekistan Airways, aimed at increasing global connectivity. As passengers gain more travel options, the value of earning and using loyalty points is projected to grow. As more household and lifestyle brands are added to the programme, members could diversify their point accrual even further. Air India has indicated that additional partners will be announced in due course, though specifics have not yet been released. Maharaja Club members benefit from streamlined user experience with clearly stated earning rates for each participating brand. For example, spending at Victoria's Secret yields 310 points per GBP 100, while spending at Victorinox delivers 300 points per USD 100 – figures that are prominently showcased on the shopping portal. Air India's alignment with Loyyal fits within its hospitality-driven repositioning under along with fleet modernisation, training investments, new routes, and enhanced premium services. The airline aims to appeal to international leisure and business travellers – particularly those based abroad – by offering points that can accrue through both travel and lifestyle spending. Industry commentators suggest that Loyyal's blockchain solution offers underlying benefits including transparent audit trails, fraud reduction and easy tracking of reward accrual from non-travel sources. This increases both partner and consumer confidence in the integrity of the loyalty ecosystem.
India Gazette
05-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Air India scales up Kathmandu, Colombo, Bangkok routes
New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): Air India announced on Thursday that it has added more flights to Bangkok, Colombo, and Kathmandu to meet the growing passenger demand. Effective July 7, 2025, Air India will add a sixth daily flight between Delhi and Kathmandu, increasing frequency from 35x weekly to 42x weekly. Air India will add a second daily flight between Delhi and Colombo, doubling the route's frequency from 7x weekly to 14x weekly. The Tata Group airline will add a third daily flight between Mumbai and Bangkok, increasing frequency from 13x weekly to 18x weekly. Air India said in a statement that the expansion will add over 7,000 seats deployed to and from Bangkok, Colombo, and Kathmandu. The additional flights to Kathmandu and Bangkok will be operated by Air India's best narrow-body aircraft in three-class cabin configuration, including Premium Economy Class, offering a premium full-service flying experience to travellers on the routes. 'Air India's flights to Colombo, Kathmandu, and Bangkok provide seamless one-stop connectivity to and from destinations in North America, Europe, and the Far East,' the airline said. With the added frequency, Air India will operate 42x weekly flights to Kathmandu, 28x weekly flights to Colombo, and 46x weekly flights to Bangkok. Bookings for the additional flights are now open on all channels, including Air India's website, mobile app, airport ticketing offices, contact centres, and through all travel agents. Air India group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries customers to 55 domestic and 48 international destinations across five continents. Returning to the Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India group is in the midst of a five-year transformation program, As part of the transformation, Air India has placed an order for 570 new aircraft. In 2024, sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara were successfully merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the Airline opened South Asia's largest aviation training academy. A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2025, and construction of a greenfield maintenance base, to be operational in 2026, is underway. In addition to receiving new aircraft, all existing aircraft are progressively undergoing a full interior refit. (ANI)
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Air India sees huge upside in passenger, cargo biz; open for more partnerships: CEO Campbell Wilson
Air India sees huge upside in passenger as well as cargo segments and is always open for partnerships , its chief Campbell Wilson said as the full service airline works to upgrade its aircraft, improve service quality and expand networks. The loss-making Air India, being piloted by the Tata Group since its take over in January 2022, is undergoing the ambitious five-year transformation plan ' that commenced in 2022, with Wilson saying he is very happy with the trajectory, notwithstanding that there is more work to do. In an interview to PTI, the Air India CEO and MD said the airline "just learns to adapt and move on" when there are external factors such as supply chain and airspace issues. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Last-minute hotel deals in Santa Cruz de Tenerife Hotels | Search Ads Learn More Undo "When you are trying to do a turnaround, there are so many things that require us to act to prove ourselves... the objective is very very clear and hasn't changed in the slightest, the opportunity hasn't changed in the slightest, in fact if anything it has got more clear at the scale of the opportunity," he said. The airline sees a huge upside on the passenger as well as cargo business sides, Wilson said, adding that since privatisation, the cargo revenues have increased more than three times. The passenger revenues have more than doubled during the same period. Live Events "Again, huge upside, non-stop service into key points around the world, more focus on cargo, better systems, more consistent product delivery, all of these things mean we are a much more credible player in the cargo space. (There is) significant upside opportunity," he noted. Currently, Air India has a fleet of 191 planes, including 64 wide-bodies and 127 narrow bodies. When asked whether Air India will also be looking at a partnership with upcoming airline Riyadh Air, he said there is an air about India. "Everyone wants a partnership with India and so we are talking to many many people". "We are always open to partnerships. We have expanded or announced more than 20 partnerships since being privatised. That are codeshare (partnerships) and interline (agreements). We have embarked on some new codeshares with Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa Group... we will continue to work on more," Wilson said. Against the backdrop of various instances of passengers complaining about the airline's service quality, Wilson said all efforts are going to make sure that there is a consistent product that is consistently meeting expectations that is humanly possible. "We never want to disappoint a customer," Wilson said as he highlighted that Air India Group carries more than 60 million people a year and unfortunately, there are going to be weather events or other events that may result in everyone not having the experience that they had hoped for. "There are always going to be some issues in aviation but let them not dominate the discussion when there is clear evidence that there is a product that people genuinely are thinking is impressive," he said. Air India Group, which is expanding its fleet as well as network, had a domestic market share of 27.2 per cent in April. "Whether it is airspace or other things that impede travel, I think it is a negative for society and we certainly would advocate for freedom of flight wherever it may be. Of course, we understand geopolitics and the like. When things happen that constrain airspace, then we just adjust," Wilson said. Since Pakistan closed its airspace for Indian carriers in the wake of strained ties following the Pahalgam terror attack, Air India flights to Europe and North America from the national capital are taking longer routes and some of the flights also have a stop enroute. In reference to the Pakistan airspace closure, Wilson said the airline has changed its flight routes. "Sometimes it (flights) take longer, sometimes we need to make a refuel stop but in almost all cases, we are still able to operate non-stop to the cities that we previously flew and continue to offer a compelling proposition and we just continue to adjust around us". "Financially, the trajectory is good but I won't get into numbers at this juncture. We brought four groups of employees together under Air India and Air India Express. That is not an easy process. People come from very different backgrounds, very different work environments, sometimes they move to different cities but people are gelling together really really well and I am really proud of the way they have embraced this new combined organisation," he said. Last year, Vistara was merged with Air India and AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) was integrated with Air India Express. There were some concerns among the staff on certain issues. A New Zealander, Wilson, last November said the airline's transformation journey is a cricket Test match and not a T20, and that it was like lunch on the third day of a Test match. "I think we are well into the second half of the Test match," Wilson said during the interview as he listed out the achievements last year, including the mergers, setting up of a training academy in Gurugram (Haryana) and rolling out of a new loyalty programme.
Mint
01-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Air India eyes profitability with fleet overhaul and customer satisfaction boost
Tata group-owned Air India has made profitability its prime focus and aims to achieve it in the next few years, as the full-service carrier undergoes a revamp to boost efficiency and passenger convenience. In an interview with Mint, Air India chief executive officer (CEO) Campbell Wilson emphasized that the company's overall financials have improved since Tata acquired it from the government in early 2022, and shareholders now expect to see profits. "We've been very consistent and have an aspiration to be profitable, clearly, shareholders now expect us to be profitable. We are making good progress, managing costs, revenues, efficiencies, as well as operations and net promoter score (NPS)," said Wilson. NPS is a metric used to gauge customer loyalty and satisfaction. Overall NPS for Air India has increased by more than 45 points in the past 18 months. Wilson said that they don't plan to make public the year by which they are targetting to become profitable, but the company is on the right path. "Since the privatisation, we've tripled cargo tonnage, doubled revenue, we've increased revenue from business class passengers, and corporate revenues have also been good. The uplift on these metric is very significant, so our trajectory is on a very good path," Wilson added. The Air India group is in the middle of its five-year transformative journey called which commenced in September 2022. The group is in its third phase, or 'the climb phase', which commenced in April 2024 and will end in March 2027. "In cricket terms, we're in day four of a test match, since this is a five-year program, we're entering year three. The benefits of the transformation are now visible," he said. As part of this process, the airline has made significant investments in retrofitting narrow-body and wide-body aircraft to improve efficiency and passenger convenience. As per the airline, Air India ended FY25 with an on time performance (OTP) in the high 70s. "The improvement in OTP is significantly better and higher than even what Vistara was operating at, similarly we exited the financial year with an NPS, which was also higher than what Vistara had been achieving. The financial trajectory is positive," said Wilson. In the aviation industry parlance, on-time performance indicates the percentage of flights that arrive or depart within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival or departure time. It's a key metric used by airlines and airports to track efficiency and reliability. As per the CEO, Air India's custome NPS in new A350 widebody aircraft is above 60, which is higher than legacy widebody aircraft. Similarly, the airline is also upgrading lounges at key airports. "This clearly indicates that the foundations have been put in place already. There's further strengthening of capabilities for the future, but even so, the new Air India is already visible," Wilson said. In April last year, Air India announced commencement of a retrofit program to change interiors and seats of its narrow-body and wide-body fleet. While the program has seen delay due to global supply chain issues, over 50% of Air India's fleet today offers new or upgraded cabin interiors. The retrofit of Air India's legacy narrow-body fleet is expected to be completed this year, and currently 65% such aircraft already have been retrofitted. "So on the narrow-body side, we're about two-thirds of the way through the upgradation program. We'll complete the rest of it by the end of, mostly by the end of the calendar year," Wilson said. Air India has also decided to extend life of 13 aircraft which were otherwise going to retire. The airline has decided to upgrade these aircraft as well. Currently, around 35% of Air India's wide-body fleet features modernised interiors and the airline intends to complete retrofit of the remaining aircraft by the middle of the financial year 2028. "Our legacy Boeing 777 widebody aircraft have already undergone an initial refresh programme ahead of a full retrofit, which starts next year. Legacy Boeing 787 aircraft will go into July and the rest of the 27 legacy aircraft will be upgraded over the next couple of years," he added.
Khaleej Times
27-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Air India Group to unveil more virtual interline partnerships at ATM
The Air India Group, encompassing full-service carrier Air India and low-cost regional airline Air India Express, is set to announce new virtual interline partnerships at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) opening today at the Dubai World Trade Centre. These partnerships with foreign low-cost carriers aim to boost Air India Express's global connectivity through its 'AIX Connect' platform, allowing travellers to book self-connected itineraries across partner airlines. The group currently maintains six such partnerships. Air India Express, targeting 30 million passengers in 2025-26 (up from 20 million this year), operates over 240 weekly flights from the UAE to India, serving 38 domestic and 17 international destinations. Meanwhile, Air India connects 45 domestic and 43 international destinations. 'Our presence at ATM 2025 underscores our commitment to blending tradition with innovation,' the airline group said in a statement. The Air India and Air India Express pavilion, spanning over 100 square metres, showcases the Tata Group airlines' transformation under the five-year programme. The booth features a digital-first design with a Virtual Reality (VR) zone, allowing visitors to explore Air India's state-of-the-art A350 aircraft. Displays of the upgraded 787-9 Dreamliner and A321 cabins highlight the airline's focus on world-class comfort and innovation. Commercial and product specialists will engage with trade partners and travellers throughout the event, sharing updates on new General Sales Agents (GSA) and Representative Agencies (RA) in key markets to enhance regional accessibility. The Tata Group-owned airline, employing over 30,000 people and operating more than 300 aircraft, serves 55 domestic and 48 international destinations across five continents. As part of Air India has ordered 570 new aircraft, merged sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and opened South Asia's largest aviation training academy in 2024. 'ATM 2025 is a platform to showcase our evolving brand and strengthen global presence,' the statement added. The Air India group's strategic initiatives, from fleet expansion to innovative partnerships, position it as a key player in the global aviation market, with a focus on seamless connectivity and enhanced passenger experiences. The announcements at ATM signal Air India's ambition to redefine travel in the region and beyond, leveraging technology and partnerships to meet growing demand. Visitors to the pavilion can expect an immersive experience that reflects the group's vision of combining heritage with cutting-edge service.
