01-05-2025
Air India, Air India Express partner with Dubai-based dnata to expand presence in UAE market
Air India
and
Air India Express
on Thursday appointed
dnata
as their General Sales Agent (GSA) and Representative Agency (RA), respectively, in the United Arab Emirates, as the airline group looks to expand its commercial footprint in the gulf nation.
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As part of the agreement, dnata will oversee sales, marketing, and distribution services for both airlines across the UAE, excluding Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for Air India.
The partnership, which was formalised at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 in Dubai, is aimed to boost traveller and trade partner access and support the Tata-owned airlines'
regional growth strategy
. It also comes at a time when India remains Dubai International Airport's largest source market, contributing 3 million passengers in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
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Popular Indian cities like Mumbai and New Delhi ranked among DXB's top city-pairs, reflecting strong travel demand for business, family, and tourism needs.
Air India currently operates 82 weekly flights between India and the UAE. Of these, 32 flights are on the Dubai–India route. Meanwhile, Air India Express operates over 240 weekly flights connecting five cities in the UAE—Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah—with India. Dubai alone accounts for 1single-largest international market for Air India Express, making it a key gateway in the group's network.
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'The UAE is a key market in our international network. We are pleased to partner with dnata, whose deep understanding of the region and proven track record in travel services will help us better connect with customers, drive demand, and enhance service delivery in the market,' said Kaizad Postwalla, Head of International Sales – GMEA & North America, Air India.
Simon Woodford, Vice President Global Air Services at dnata Travel Group, said, 'Air India group is offering increasingly accessible and affordable options for leisure and business travel between the UAE and India. We represented Air India in Dubai for passenger sales for almost 50 years between 1967 and 2014 and are delighted to now be appointed by the Air India group, as its operations continue to grow and support millions of travellers.'
Air India serves 45 domestic and 43 international destinations, while Air India Express flies to 38 domestic and 17 international cities. The group continues to focus on regional partnerships to improve global connectivity and service delivery.
