Air India partners with BIAL to develop Bengaluru as aviation hub

Bengaluru: Air India will partner with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) in efforts to develop Bengaluru as south India’s premier aviation hub. The partnership, formalised through an agreement, is also aimed at enhancing air travel connectivity to and from India.

Air India, along with other Tata Group airlines AIX and Vistara, will work with BIAL which operates the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) over the next five years to improve international connectivity, operational efficiency, and passenger experience, the two companies said in a statement on Monday.

The collaboration includes plans to strengthen the Tata Group airlines’ presence at KIA through an enhanced network and establish a dedicated domestic lounge for the premium and frequent travellers of Air India and Vistara.

Air India has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Karnataka to establish comprehensive Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities at the airport, in line with the carrier’s plans to meet the growing demand for direct long-haul routes from south India. This partnership will stimulate the MRO ecosystem and is projected to generate over 1,200 new job opportunities for highly skilled individuals in Karnataka, the statement said.

Campbell Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Air India, called the agreement significant to Air India’s ongoing transformation and said it was aligned with Bengaluru’s credentials as a “highly attractive” origin and destination market as well as a connecting hub.

Hari Marar, Managing Director and CEO, BIAL, said the collaboration complemented the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s vision of developing airports as hubs. “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,” he said.