15 May 2025
#3 May 2025: India Aviation Newsletter
Air India Appoints Friends Touristik Marketing GmbH & Co. KG as Passenger GSA for Austria and Switzerland
Air India has appointed Friends Touristik Marketing GmbH & Co. KG as its General Sales Agent (GSA) for passenger services in Switzerland and Austria, further strengthening its sales and customer engagement infrastructure in key Central European markets. Under the agreement, Friends Touristik will manage reservations, ticketing, marketing, and sales support, enhancing traffic on Air India’s flights from Zurich, Vienna, and other feeder markets across Europe.
Natalia Zaragoza, CEO of Friends Touristik, expressed her enthusiasm for the new partnership:
“We are truly honoured to represent a prestigious airline like Air India in the markets of Switzerland and Austria. As one of the largest and most respected carriers in the world, Air India embodies excellence, heritage, and global connectivity.”
This appointment reflects Air India’s ongoing international expansion strategy, leveraging regional expertise to drive passenger volumes, improve distribution, and increase brand visibility in competitive European sectors.
Greenfield Airports Approved for Kota and Puri
On 5 May 2025, the Ministry of Civil Aviation granted in-principle approval for the construction of two new Greenfield airports in Kota, Rajasthan, and Puri, Odisha, reinforcing the government’s push to improve last-mile air connectivity in underserved regions.
The Kota Airport is the result of consistent lobbying by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, and will serve the educational and industrial hub of the Hadoti region, enhancing access to domestic and future international destinations.
In Odisha, the planned airport in Puri—a major spiritual centre and the home of Lord Jagannath—will support religious tourism, economic development, and urban connectivity.
Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu reiterated that the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to inclusive aviation growth, making air travel accessible to cities with strong cultural, industrial, and demographic significance.
IndiGo Expands Strategic Partnership with Norse Atlantic, Adds Two More Boeing 787-9s
IndiGo has signed a third agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways to damp lease two additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, bringing the total number of aircraft under the partnership to six. The new aircraft are expected to enter service by early 2026, further expanding IndiGo’s long-haul operations.
This follows two earlier firm lease agreements in 2025—one for a single 787-9, and another for three additional aircraft—with the first Dreamliner already operating the Delhi–Bangkok route since 1 March 2025.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers stated:
“This move reinforces our commitment to international growth and our customers, promising to introduce more options on long-haul routes. As we accelerate towards our vision of becoming a global airline by 2030, this partnership enables us to bolster our wide-body operations while staying rooted in our India-first approach.”
The expanded partnership provides IndiGo with the agility to scale long-haul capacity ahead of its own widebody deliveries, and positions the airline to bridge strategic global markets while maintaining its cost-efficient operating model.
Acumen’s Take
On Air India’s GSA Appointment in Switzerland and Austria
This move is part of Air India’s broader commercial reorganisation under the Vihaan.AI transformation plan, which aims to strengthen regional presence through specialised partners. Appointing a dedicated GSA in two high-yield European markets enables targeted engagement with trade partners and direct consumers, enhancing Air India’s ability to drive premium traffic, especially on routes feeding into its Delhi and Mumbai hubs.
On Greenfield Airport Approvals in Kota and Puri
The approval of airports in Kota and Puri is a critical step toward democratising air travel access in India. Kota is not only a key educational hub but also an emerging industrial zone, while Puri is central to religious tourism and Odisha’s cultural economy. These developments will help shift the aviation map beyond metros and Tier-1 cities, contributing to India’s regional connectivity and UDAN expansion objectives.
On IndiGo’s Strategic Expansion of Long-Haul Capability
IndiGo’s expansion through Norse Atlantic partnerships highlights a pragmatic, asset-light strategy to enter and test long-haul markets without the capex burden of new aircraft. It allows IndiGo to build international brand equity and gain operational experience on widebody routes, ahead of its own future long-haul fleet acquisitions. The move aligns with its Vision 2030 roadmap to become a global carrier, with international services playing a key role in revenue diversification and margin enhancement.
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