Air India and Air India Express have announced the appointment of dnata as their General Sales Agent (GSA) and Representative Agency (RA), respectively, in the UAE. The agreement, formally signed at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 in Dubai, reflects the Air India group’s continued focus on enhancing reach and customer engagement in the strategically important UAE market.
Kaizad Postwalla, Head of International Sales – GMEA & North America, Air India, said, “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.”
Dr. Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India Express, added, “Our collaboration with dnata marks another step in expanding our commercial presence in the region. As our network and fleet grow, this partnership will help us stay closer to our customers and offer them even more reliable and seamless travel options to and from India.”
Simon Woodford, Vice President Global Air Services at dnata Travel Group, commented, “Air India group is offerig 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.”
Under this partnership, dnata will provide comprehensive sales, marketing, and distribution support to both carriers across the UAE, excluding Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for Air India. This localised approach will improve accessibility for travellers and trade partners while supporting the Air India group’s broader growth plans in the region.
Air India operates 82x weekly flights from the UAE to India, while Air India Express connects five cities—Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah—with over 240x weekly flights from the UAE. The UAE represents the single-largest international market for Air India Express and remains one of the most significant global markets, serving millions of Indian expatriates and other travellers.
With a growing network of 45 domestic and 43 international destinations served by Air India, and 38 domestic and 17 international destinations by Air India Express, the Air India group continues to invest in partnerships and service enhancements that bring India closer to the world.
