Air India Express rolled out new crew and frontline uniforms from 1 September 2026, blending Tales of India textiles with modern silhouettes in Xpress Blue and Orange.
Cover image: an Air India Express Boeing 737 on the tarmac — photo by Konstantin von Wedelstaedt, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons.
Air India Express has rolled out new uniforms for cabin crew and frontline teams from 1 September 2026, replacing its previous look across every guest touchpoint. The collection draws directly from the airline’s Tales of India initiative, translating five Indian textile traditions into contemporary workwear in the carrier’s signature Xpress Blue and Xpress Orange. The change applies to cabin crew, airport services, aviation security and flight operations staff across the network.
What changed on 1 September 2026?
The airline confirmed the refresh was introduced network-wide on 1 September. Rather than a cabin-only update, it covers all frontline roles that meet guests: cabin crew, airport services, aviation security and flight operations. The palette anchors on Xpress Blue with Xpress Orange accents, creating a consistent visual link between aircraft tail art, airport counters and onboard service.
Fabric choice was driven by operational reality. The uniforms are cut in banana crepe, selected for breathability, durability and drape during long duty periods, with tailored jackets, scarves and pocket squares to complete the look.
Which Indian textiles inspired the design?
Air India Express said the designs extend its Tales of India aircraft tail art into everyday guest interactions. Five traditions were referenced directly:
- Tamil Nadu Kanjeevaram weaving motifs
- Himachal Pradesh Pattu patterns
- Gujarat Patola geometry
- Assam Gamosa elements
- Madhya Pradesh Bagh block-print influences
The silhouettes reinterpret the kurti with contemporary tailoring, so the cultural references read as accents rather than costumes. The intent, per the airline, was to reflect connections across regions while keeping the uniforms functional for safety and service tasks.
Who designed the uniforms?
A distinctive detail is that the project was led in-house. Designer Pooja Krishnan of Air India Express led womenswear for cabin crew, airport services, aviation security and flight operations, drawing on direct knowledge of frontline requirements. Menswear for cabin crew was developed in collaboration with Trent Limited.
Sunil Suresh, Head of Marketing, E-Commerce and Loyalty at Air India group, said the teams “shape some of the most memorable moments in every guest’s journey” and that the uniforms were designed to reflect their “energy, professionalism and warmth” while creating consistency across aircraft, airports and onboard service.
Why Tales of India matters for the brand
Tales of India began as tail art celebrating indigenous crafts and cultural heritage on Air India Express aircraft. Bringing the same language to uniforms closes the loop between exterior and interior brand cues. For travellers, it means the textile stories first seen on the aircraft tail are now echoed in the crew greeting them at boarding and in the cabin.
The move also signals how the carrier, now integrated within the larger Air India group transformation, is standardising guest experience while leaning into Indian design identity rather than generic airline minimalism. That balance of India-first design thinking seen in the Shunya eVTOL programme and operational practicality is a recurring theme in current Indian aviation.
What crew and travellers will notice
Beyond colour and pattern, three practical points stand out:
- Consistent look across airports and aircraft, reducing the patchwork effect common during fleet and brand transitions
- Silhouettes designed for movement, with scarf and pocket-square options to adapt for different duties without changing the core uniform
- Fabric engineered for India’s climate range, from humid coastal hubs to dry northern sectors
The airline has not announced a phased retirement for older stock beyond stating the new uniforms are being introduced across the network from 1 September, implying a transition rather than an overnight swap at every station.
How this fits the wider Air India Express network
The uniform refresh lands during a busy period for Indian aviation, with DGCA audits sharpening operational scrutiny and carriers expanding hub connectivity. A standardised, comfortable frontline uniform supports the softer side of reliability that regulators do not measure but passengers remember. Crew comfort and clear role identification help turnarounds and service recovery, especially on high-frequency domestic and Gulf sectors where Air India Express is most visible.
Travellers photographing the new look can expect the Xpress Blue base to dominate in cabin images, with Orange accents and textile-derived details most visible on scarves, collars and tailoring. The previous uniforms will phase out as stations complete the swap.
Frequently asked questions
When did Air India Express new uniforms launch?
From 1 September 2026 across the network for cabin crew, airport services, aviation security and flight operations. Stations are transitioning from the previous uniforms on a rolling basis.
What textiles inspired the new Air India Express uniforms?
Kanjeevaram from Tamil Nadu, Pattu from Himachal Pradesh, Patola from Gujarat, Gamosa from Assam and Bagh from Madhya Pradesh, all interpreted through contemporary kurti-inspired silhouettes.
Who designed the uniforms?
In-house designer Pooja Krishnan led womenswear for all frontline groups, while menswear for cabin crew was developed with Trent Limited. The fabric is banana crepe for breathability and durability.
Do the colours mean something?
Xpress Blue is the airline’s primary brand colour with Xpress Orange accents, matching aircraft livery and tail art to create a consistent experience from airport to onboard.
