Air India Express fleet expansion: First line-fit Boeing 737-8 MAX arrives in Capital Monday; marks Tata-era milestone – The Times of India

Air India Express will get its first line fit Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft on Monday, December 29 in New Delhi. It’s the first brand-new plane made specifically for Air India since Tata Group took over from the government in 2022. The aircraft, registered as VT-RNT, pays tribute to Ratan Naval Tata with a special livery design, according to Flight Radar, quoted by PTI.The plane is part of Air India’s massive fleet expansion. The group ordered 470 planes in February 2023, added another 100 orders in December 2024. Until now, Air India Group has only been using white tail aircraft – planes originally made for other airlines but redirected to them due to global supply chain issues.Air India Express marked notable growth this year. The airline’s Managing Director, Aloke Singh, recently told staff that they’ve crossed the 100-aircraft milestone. In 2025, they added 25 new planes – including 14 Boeing MAXs, 4 A321 neos, 4 A320 neos, and 3 A320 ceos. They also received their first retrofitted Boeing B737 MAX and welcomed their first Airbus A321 neo, which was part of 16 A320 family aircraft transferred from Air India.