IF YOU TURN the pages of the visitor’s register at Air India’s temporary headquarters in PVR Star Mall in Gurugram near Delhi, you will find scores of entries made by 20-somethings who are either appearing for job interviews or are coming for their induction after having been selected. It is an indicator of the rise in interest in the airline after it was sold by the Indian government to the $128-billion Tata group in January 2022.
“We have witnessed approximately 30 per cent increase in Air India’s bookings post-privatisation. We are optimistic that this surge will drive demand and create a positive sentiment for the airline,” says Sabina Chopra, Co-founder & COO, Corporate Travel & Head of Industry Relations at online travel agency (OTA) Yatra Online. And after February 14, when Air India announced two mega orders totalling a world-record 470 aircraft (Airbus and Boeing combined) as part of its ambitious expansion plans, it is likely to see much more action—both as an employer and a provider of aviation services—not only in India but also globally.
So big was the order that it even saw the heads of state of France and the US voicing their approval. French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the deal’s significance for his country in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence. And US President Joe Biden, in a statement, said that the deal would result in supporting over “one million American jobs across 44 states, and many will not require a four-year college degree”. “Geopolitics also played a role in the order as the European and American governments realised India was fast emerging as the new growth centre to rival China,” said a person privy to behind-the-scenes deliberations. In the run-up to the announcement, aggressive bargaining over pricing and back-room diplomacy involving Paris.
