The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AYB and VT-AYC

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In the finale of our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AYB and VT-AYC.

VT-AYB features the national animal of India, the Tiger; specifically the extremely rare mutation called the White Tiger. The other side of the tail features the Tiger's preferred prey, the Chital or Spotted Deer.

VT-AYC features articles of clothing from two extremes of India. The Patola from the western state of Gujarat and the shawl from the north-eastern state of Nagaland.

We hope you enjoyed the Air India Express tail art series as much as we enjoyed bringing them to you. For a complete list of all articles in this series click here.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXZ and VT-AYA

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXZ and VT-AYA.

VT-AXZ features the geographical diversity of India from the searing deserts in the state of Rajasthan, to the snow capped Himalayan peaks and lush valleys of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

VT-AYA features the two rock-cut UNESCO world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora located close to the city of Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra. While Ajanta was built in the second century BCE, Ellora was built between the 5th century and 10th century. Both sites demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history.

Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for the final set of tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXW and VT-AXX

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXW and VT-AXX.

VT-AXW features the religious diversity of India in the form of the Charminar or "Mosque of the four Minarets", in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, and the Buddhist shrine of the 'Great Stupa' at Sanchi, in the central India state of Madhya Pradesh, originally commissioned by emperor Ashoka the Great, in the third century.

VT-AXX features the geographical diversity of India from the towering snow capped Himalayas in the extreme north, to the sun-kissed beaches all along the peninsula of India which starts in Gujarat in the west to Kanyakumari in the south to West Bengal in the east.


Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us on Monday December 28, for the final sets of tail art pictures. Have a great, safe and enjoyable holiday.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXU and VT-AXV

Bangalore Aviation wishes all its readers a very happy, safe and enjoyable holiday season.

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXU and VT-AXV.

VT-AXU features two dances. The Garba from the western state of Gujarat and Bihu a folk dance from the north-east Indian state of Assam.

VT-AXV features the Sun Temple of Konark and the Victoria Memorial, located in Kolkata.


Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for more tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXR and VT-AXT

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXR and VT-AXT.

You will observe Air India Express has paid a lot of attention to Kerala since Keralites represent a large base of the carrier's passengers travelling from the state to the Gulf region.

VT-AXR features two aspects of life from the state of Kerala. The ancient martial art of Kalarippayattu, probably the oldest fighting form in existence, and the Chundan Vallam or Snake boats. These boats are anywhere from 100 to 138 ft in length. With the rear portion towering to a height of about 20 ft. and a long tapering front portion, it resembles a snake with its hood raised. Its hull is built of planks precisely 83 feet in length and six inches wide

VT-AXT features two birds from India, the Painted Stork and the national bird of India, the Peacock.


Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for more tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXP and VT-AXQ

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXP and VT-AXQ.

VT-AXP features two relatively modern paintings. The Lady with a musical instrument and Hans Damayanti. Hans meaning swan.


VT-AXQ features two ancient architectural marvels of India both located in New Delhi, the national capital . The Jantar Mantar located in the heart of the city, consists of 13 architectural astronomy instruments, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, from 1724 onwards. The Qutab Minar in south Delhi, is at 72.5 meters, the world's tallest brick minaret.

Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for more tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXM and VT-AXN

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXM and VT-AXN.

VT-AXM features two palaces, one from north India and one from the south. The Mysore Palace located in the historic town of Mysore, just 160km (100 miles) from the technology capital of India, Bangalore -- the home of Bangalore Aviation, and the Mehrangarh Fort Palace from Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

VT-AXN features the Ujjayanta Palace, a former royal palace situated in Agartala, the capital of the north-east Indian state of Tripura. The palace Palace currently serves as the meeting place of the Tripura Legislative Assembly and is also a tourist attraction in which tours are conducted by the Tripura Tourism Department. The Hawa Mahal or "Palace of Winds" is in the pink city of Jaipur, again in Rajasthan. Its unique five-story exterior is akin to the honeycomb of a beehive with 953 small windows decorated with intricate lattice work. The Hawa Mahal allowed royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen.

Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for more tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXI and VT-AXJ

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series we feature the tails of VT-AXI and VT-AXJ.

VT-AXI features two classical miniature paintings. On the left is Solah Shringar (sixteen form make-up and dress) most likely from the Rajput school and on the right is a Ragamala painting depicting Ragini Todi.


VT-AXJ features two forts in India. On the left is the Gwalior fort and once the home of the Scindia royal family, of whom was the former civilian aviation minister, late Madhav Rao Scindia, who ironically died in a plane crash September 30, 2001. On the right is another UNESCO World heritage site, the famous Red Fort in India's capital Delhi. The Prime Minister of India raises hoists the national flag on the ramparts of the Lahori Gate of the fort complex every year on August 15th, India's Independence Day.


Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us Monday December 21, for more tail art pictures. In the mean time have a safe, happy and wonderful weekend.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXG and VT-AXH

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXG and VT-AXH.

VT-AXG features bridal wear and exotic jewellery. In India divorce is rare, and marriage is a sacred occasion. A bride is decked in the finest silks interwoven with gold thread and finest jewellery adorning her from head to toe. Most brides will wear a red dress or hues like pink. In some states brides wear a white wedding dress which features extensive gold thread and usually a border of red or green. Bracelets of glass and of gold will adorn her wrists a third of the way up to her elbow.


VT-AXH features two monuments from the British "Raj" of India. The Gateway of India in Mumbai and the India Gate in New Delhi. The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay, in December 1911. The India Gate is the national monument of India and houses the Amar Jawan Jyoti -- the flame constantly burning at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for more tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXE and VT-AXF

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXE and VT-AXF.

VT-AXE features two classical dance forms from south India. Bharatnatyam from Tamil Nadu with its exotic, expressive, energetic and sculpturesque style and Kathakali with its elaborate costumes and make-up from the state of Kerala.

VT-AXF features the monument the world associates with India, the magnificent tribute to love, the Taj Mahal located in Agra in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It also features the famous Konark Sun Temple in the district of Puri on the east coast of India in the state of Orissa. The two UNESCO world heritage sites also considered the "seven wonders of India", reflect the peaceful co-habitation of contrasts in India. The Taj Mahal, considered a jewel of Muslim art in India was built in white marble during the 17th century by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Hindu Temple built in black granite by King Narasimhadeva I, and is one of the most revered temples in India.

Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for more tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXC and VT-AXD

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

In our on-going series, today we feature the tails of VT-AXC and VT-AXD.

VT-AXC features two very popular musical instruments. The tabla and the sitar. The Tabla is a pair of hand drums. This popular percussion instrument is used in all forms of Indian music - classical, popular and devotional. The sitar is a plucked string instrument made most famous by Pandit Ravi Shankar.

VT-AXD features two lamps, one popular in the north, the other in the south. The diya and the samai. The diya is usually a small clay lamp filled with vegetable oil or clarified butter. Typically two to four inches across, it is widely used across northern India. The samai normally has multiple levels, with multiple wicks per level, is made of brass, and can range from a height of one foot to over twenty feet. Samai lamps are a must at any southern Indian festive occasion.


Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for more tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express - VT-AXA and VT-AXB

Air India Express has one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world. Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India.

We commence the series with two tails -- VT-AXA and VT-AXB.

VT-AXA features the two largest mammals from India. The camel and the Asian elephant. Both animals are portrayed wearing festive headgear. The camel from the searing deserts of Rajasthan in north-west India and the elephant from the lush green state of Kerala in south-west India.

VT-AXB features the art form of rangoli and kites. Rangoli is one of the most popular art forms in India. It is a form of sand-painting decoration that uses finely ground white and coloured powders, and is commonly done outside homes in India. The term rangoli is derived from the words rang (colour) and aavalli ('coloured creepers' or 'row of colours'). Kite flying is very popular across India, and the Indian festival of Makar Sankranti is devoted to kite flying across the country with millions of people participating.

Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series. Please visit us tomorrow for more tail art pictures.

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The unique tail art of Air India Express

Air India has always had some of the best looking planes in the world. Its exotic livery was in sync with the airline's theme "your palace in the skies".


As the national carrier of India, Air India also promoted the rich cultural, national and geographical heritage of the country.

From the earliest times, Air India had a practice of naming its aircraft. As one of the earliest customers of the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, Air India named the mighty aircraft after various emperors of India. Even today I remember my first flight on board Emperor Ashoka, a Boeing 747-237B registration VT-EBD. In subsequent years the new Boeing 747-400s in the Air India fleet were named after famous locations in India like the Konark temple, the mangrove forests of the Sunderbans -- home of the mighty Bengal tiger. The Airbus A310 fleet were named after rivers, and the new Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER fleet are named after states.


With the start of its low cost operation Air India Express, the airline came up with one of the most unusual liveries in the airline industry across the world.

Each Boeing 737-800 has a different tail art with each side of the tail reflecting an aspect of India. Sometimes they are complementary like the musical instruments tabla and sitar, sometimes complete opposites, like a deer and tiger.

Thanks to the friendly folks at Air India corporate communications, we have the tail art of 24 aircraft in the Air India Express fleet which we will publish starting Monday. So tune in and savour the experience.

Click here for all the articles in the Air India Express tail art series.

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