Airlines are increasingly focusing on emotional storytelling to differentiate themselves in a highly competitive aviation market. Air India Express’ latest campaign reflects this shift, positioning the airline’s service experience and regional connectivity at the centre of its brand narrative.
Air India Express has launched its new brand campaign, ‘Xpress Wali Baat Hai’, featuring actor Pankaj Tripathi. The campaign showcases elements that the airline says define its travel experience, including comfortable seating, ‘Gourmair’ hot meals, extensive regional connectivity, and Indian hospitality.
The campaign has been rolled out through a series of short films highlighting different aspects of the airline’s offering. These include the cabin experience, onboard meals, service approach, and the airline’s network of over 500 daily flights across South, Southeast, and West Asia.
Pankaj Tripathi fronts relatability-driven campaign
Air India Express stated that Pankaj Tripathi’s screen persona and connect across both metro and emerging markets aligned with the airline’s positioning around familiarity, accessibility, and warmth.
Pankaj Tripathi said, “For me, a good journey is one that stays with you even after it ends, and that’s exactly what ‘Xpress Wali Baat Hai’ captures. It reflects an aspiration we all share when we travel, to feel genuinely cared for along the way.”
He added that the campaign focused on everyday travel moments centred around comfort and hospitality.
According to the airline, the campaign has already generated significant traction during the Tata IPL season and across digital platforms, recording a reach of over 200 million and over one billion views within its first week. The airline also stated that the campaign achieved an online engagement rate of 33 per cent.
Campaign aligned with airline’s expansion phase
Siddhartha Butalia, Chief Marketing Officer, Air India Express, said the campaign reflects the broader transformation underway at the airline.
“This campaign reflects the essence of the proposition we have been building at Air India Express, an experience that goes beyond the functional, to creating meaningful connections with our guests, rooted in the warmth of Indian hospitality,” he said.
The campaign comes as Air India Express continues expanding its domestic and international network. The airline said it has added 12 new destinations over the past year and now operates a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, with over two-thirds comprising new-generation planes.
Air India Express currently operates across 42 domestic and 17 international destinations and has emerged as India’s second-largest airline in terms of domestic and international route network, according to the airline.
Multi-platform campaign rollout underway
The ‘Xpress Wali Baat Hai’ campaign is being promoted across television, OTT platforms, cinema, digital media, print, outdoor advertising, and social media. The campaign is also associated with the ongoing Tata IPL through broadcast partnerships and sponsorship integrations.
Through the campaign, Air India Express appears to be strengthening its positioning around regional connectivity, service warmth, and affordability while simultaneously building a more distinct consumer-facing identity within the broader Air India transformation journey.
Rahul Bhadana is a digital editor at TravTalk with experience spanning multiple content niches, with a strong focus on travel trade journalism and digital publishing. A graduate of Delhi University, his work covers editorial writing, content strategy and platform-led storytelling, supporting TravTalk’s digital growth and industry engagement. A technology enthusiast, he enjoys films, poetry and exploring new ideas across media and culture.