India's Tata Group has unveiled a new logo, branding and livery for Air India as part of a multi-million dollar transformation of the former national carrier.
The logo includes a design with golden, red and purple colours, and will replace the old one of a red swan.
The rebranding exercise comes years after Tata Group bought the debt-ridden airline in October 2021. The airline was officially handed over in January 2022.
CEO Campbell Wilson said the company will not completely do away with the airline's iconic mascot of a cheerful Maharaja, which has been one of India's most recognisable symbols. But they would “move beyond” it while retaining the mascot's elements that spell hospitality and service.
Air India was founded by the Tata group in 1932 before it was taken over by the government in 1953.
In 2021, the Tatas paid nearly $2.4bn (£1.7bn) to buy the carrier which had racked up losses worth $9.5bn.
Since taking control, Tata has spent millions of dollars to update the air carrier's fleet. In February, the company announced a deal with Europe's Airbus and US-based Boeing to buy a record 470 new aircrafts as part of the airline's push to become a bigger global player.
At the launch ceremony on Thursday, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrashekaran said that the airline's immediate priority was to refurbish its entire fleet and bring it to an “acceptable level”.
“The vision we have for the airline is also in the backdrop of a new resurgent India where the aspirations of everyone are limitless,” Mr Chandrasekaran added. Mr Wilson said that all of the airline's widebody planes will be refurbished with new livery by 2025.
He added that Air India was also building new lounges at the Delhi and New York airports as part of its plans for a global lounge network that covered all destinations in its international route.
— CutC by bbc.com
