Air India signs codeshare with airBaltic

Air India announced a new codeshare partnership with airBaltic, the flag carrier of Latvia, thus making the Baltic region more accessible for Air India customers. This builds on the interline partnership between the two carriers established in June 2025. Under the codeshare, Air India has begun adding its ‘AI’ designator code on airBaltic-operated flights between the Latvian capital city of Riga and Air India’s European gateways at Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Milan Malpensa, Vienna, Zurich, and London Gatwick. This enables Air India customers to travel between India and Riga via any of these European points with a single Air India ticket including flight connections to Riga bearing the ‘AI’ designator code. Air India’s interline partnership with airBaltic also enables travellers to fly to Tallinn in Estonia and Vilnius in Lithuania via select Air India gateways in Europe, thus covering the Baltic region. Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said: “This expanded partnership with airBaltic reflects Air India’s commitment to providing seamless global connectivity to our customers across the world. Latvia and the wider Baltic region are growing travel markets, but getting there for our customers was previously not as convenient as it now becomes with airBaltic on board with us.” Air India operates non-stop flights from Delhi to Amsterdam (7x weekly), Paris (14x weekly), Frankfurt (12x weekly), Copenhagen (4x weekly), Milan (6x weekly), Vienna (4x weekly), Zurich (4x weekly); from Mumbai to Frankfurt (5x weekly); from Amritsar and Ahmedabad to London Gatwick (3x weekly on both routes). Since its privatisation in 2022, Air India has significantly expanded its global alliance network. Today, the airline maintains 24 codeshare partnerships and nearly 100 interline agreements with leading carriers worldwide, providing seamless access for Air India customers to over 800 destinations globally. The codeshare flights are available for bookings through the two airlines’ respective booking channels and travel agents worldwide. Air India Express inducts new 737 Air India Express welcomed its 51st B737-8, which is its first line-fit aircraft, at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Configured and designed to Air India Express specifications by Boeing, the aircraft features a cabin designed to enhance comfort, space and convenience. Flown directly from Boeing’s facility in Seattle, the aircraft marks an important milestone in the airline’s fleet modernisation programme and is scheduled to enter service in January. The line-fit aircraft incorporates a comprehensive set of enhancements consistent with the new branding. The cabin features ergonomically designed seats with comfortable cushioning, generous legroom, and fast-charging power outlet in each seat. It also has onboard ovens for hot ‘Gourmair’ meals, larger overhead bins for cabin baggage, a quieter cabin environment and Boeing’s Sky Interior with soothing mood lighting, creating a modern and welcoming cabin environment. This is the 51st Boeing 737-8 aircraft inducted by Air India Express since its transition to the Tata group, further strengthening its position as the country’s largest Boeing operator. The airline now operates a fleet of over 100 aircraft. In 2025, the airline has also inducted four A321neos, four A320neos and three A320ceos, underscoring the scale and pace of its expansion. Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said, “We are proud to welcome our 51st Boeing B737-8, the first of the fully customised line-fit aircraft, marking a significant step in Air India Express’ fleet modernisation journey. Two-thirds of the airline fleet is now comprising of modern B737-8s and A320/321Neo aircraft, offering better fuel-efficiency and superior on-board comfort. On the back of this rapid fleet growth, we have expanded our network to 60 destinations, adding 12 destinations in 2025 alone. As India’s aviation market continues to evolve, Air India Express is emerging as a strong connector of New India, enhancing connectivity to/from tier-2 and tier-3 cities with network footprint spanning India, the Middle East, South East Asia and South Asia.” The airline has also commenced a programme to retrofit new seats on its existing Boeing 737-8 aircraft already in service to offer consistency across the fleet. As part of this initiative, 50 Boeing 737-8 aircraft will be upgraded to a standardised 189-seat configuration, with two aircraft having already completed the retrofit. Alongside its fleet and product transformation, the airline has unveiled its new brand campaign, ‘Xplore More, Xpress More’, reflecting the transformative power of travel and the meaningful connections it enables. Air India Express also continues to celebrate India’s artistic and cultural diversity through its Tales of India initiative, which showcases over 50 indigenous art forms from 25 states through distinctive aircraft tail arts inspired by regional crafts and traditions such as Zardozi and Banarasi embroidery, Ikat and Paisley motifs, and the elegant Kasavu and Paithani weaves, among others. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]