AI Express' first line fit B737-8 MAX plane to land in Delhi on December 29

(File image)

• Air India Express to receive its first line-fit Boeing 737-8 MAX on Monday
• First new aircraft for Air India Group since Tata's 2022 takeover
• Air India Express now operates over 110 planes after recent inductions

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Air India Express' first line fit Boeing 737-8 MAX will arrive in the national capital on Monday which will also be the first all-new aircraft made for Air India Group after the takeover by Tatas nearly four years ago.

Tata Group took over loss-making Air India and then profit-making Air India Express in January 2022 and in February 2023, announced orders for a total of 470 planes. Another 100 aircraft were ordered in December 2024.

An official said on Saturday that Air India Express' first line fit aircraft, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, will be landing in the national capital on Monday (December 29).

Generally, line-fit refers to aircraft specifically made for a particular airline.

Till now, Air India Group -- Air India and Air India Express -- have inducted only white tail aircraft -- since the Tata takeover due to global supply chain woes that have been delaying aircraft deliveries.

White tail implies an aircraft that was made for another airline but delivered to a different airline.

"@AirIndiaX is taking delivery of its first line fit 737-8 MAX. VT-RNT honors Ratan Naval Tata "The Visionary" with a unique livery and namesake registration," flight tracking website Flightradar24.com said in a post on X on Saturday.

The aircraft will have only economy class seats.

Meanwhile, in a message to the staff this week, Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh said the airline has crossed the 100-aircraft mark.

This year, the carrier inducted its first retrofitted Boeing B737 MAX and welcomed the first Aribus A321 neo, part of the 16 A320 family aircraft transferred from Air India, he said.

In 2025, Air India Express inducted 25 new aircraft -- 14 Boeing MAXs , 4 A321 neos, 4 A320 neos and 3 A320 ceos. Currently, the airline has over 110 planes.