Air India flight crash: What is the difference between Air India and Air India Express?

Air India Express flight from Dubai to Kerala's Kozhikode crashed on Friday evening after overshooting the runway. Emergency operations are underway. The jet was carrying 191 passengers on board at the time of the incident.

Air India vs Air India Express

While Air India is the flag carrier airline of India, Air India Express is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier. Air India is headquartered at New Delhi and Air India Express is based out of Kochi in Kerala.

More than 60 international destinations are served by Air India across four continents. Air India Express covers much smaller market.

Air India Express came into existence on April 29 2005, with the launch of three flights that took off simultaneously from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. The main objective behind the launch of the airline was to provide convenient connectivity, to short-haul international routes, in the Middle East and Southeast Asia for the Indian expatriate community.

"The airline (Air India Express) carries around 4.3 million passengers each year, and connects 140 city pairs with its cost effective and reliable flight services. Air India Express enjoys 6% market share in India - International travel market, and 13.3% market share in the India - Gulf travel market," the company's official website says.

Air India Express fleet

"Air India Express operates an impressive fleet of 25 Boeing 737- 800 Next Generation(NG) aircraft that support our low-cost structure.  Our young and modern fleet comprises aircraft that are both economically and ecologically efficient. These aircraft allow for safe and comfortable flying, and are  ideal for short/medium haul flights," the website also says.

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