Air India, Air India Express Partner with Dubai-Based Dnata
Air India and Air India Express have appointed dnata as their General Sales Agent (GSA) and Representative Agency (RA) in the United Arab Emirates, respectively, as part of their commercial expansion plans in the Gulf. As per the agreement, dnata will handle sales, marketing, and distribution services for both the airlines across the UAE, excluding Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for Air India.
This alliance was signed during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 in Dubai and seeks to promote better connectivity for travelers and trade partners alongside supporting the growth strategy of Tata-owned airlines in the region. The collaboration occurs when India continues to be the largest source market for Dubai International Airport, delivering 3 million passengers alone in the first quarter of 2025.
Large Indian cities like Mumbai and New Delhi are some of the busiest city-pairs for travel to Dubai, reflecting high demand for business, family, and tourist travel. Air India currently operates 82 weekly flights between India and the UAE, with 32 flights on the Dubai–India route. Air India Express, meanwhile, has more than 240 weekly flights connecting five UAE cities Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah to India. Dubai is the biggest international market for Air India Express, and hence a vital gateway in the airline group's network.
The UAE is a crucial market in our global network. We're looking forward to collaboration with dnata, whose deep understanding of the region and established track record in travel services will enable us to better engage with customers, drive demand, and improve service delivery," added Kaizad Postwalla, Head of International Sales GMEA & North America, Air India.
Simon Woodford, Vice President of Global Air Services at dnata Travel Group, remarked, “The Air India group is providing increasingly accessible and affordable travel options for both leisure and business between the UAE and India. We represented Air India in Dubai for passenger sales for nearly 50 years from 1967 to 2014, and we are thrilled to be appointed by the Air India group as its operations continue to expand and support millions of travelers.”
Air India operates to 45 domestic and 43 international cities, and Air India Express to 38 domestic and 17 international cities. The group continues to be committed to regional alliances to improve global connectivity and service delivery.
