Tata wins bid for Air India

The Tata Group has won the bid for Air India and will fully take ownership of the airline and its subdsidiary Air India Express. The conglomerate also obtained 50% of ground handling company Air India SATS. Tata won the competition to buy Air India from SpiceJet-founder Singh who was also in the running.

Tata, which once owned Air India until 1932, is planning to transform Air India and Air India Express into a "world-class airline that will make every Indian proud". Currently, Air India has a fleet of 20 A319s, nine A320s, 27 A320neos, four B747-400s, three B777-200LRs, thirteen B777-300ERs and 27 B787-8s. Subsidiary Air India Express operates a fleet of 24 B737-800s.

The Tata Group is not new to the airline industry as it currently owns, together with Singapore Airlines, Vistara. This airline operates a fleet of five A320s, 31 A320neos, four A321neos, six B737-800s and two B787-9s.

Although not confirmed yet, it's expected that Tata will buy-out Singapore Airlines and merge Vistara with Air India.

Photo by Air India.