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Tales of India
Business

Plane Beautiful

With its Tales of India initiative, Air India Express is taking India’s centuries-old art forms to the skies, turning aircrafts into flying canvases

June 2026     |     416 words / 7 slides     |     2-minute read

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For centuries, India has told its stories through the medium of art. Art that transcends geographical distances and cultures to create a powerful thread that connects people across the country.

From the intricate weaves of Varanasi to the vivid murals of Kerala, from tribal motifs etched in earth tones to courtly miniatures rich in detail, every region expresses its identity through a shared vocabulary — painted on walls, woven into fabric, carved into wood and passed down through generations. Together, these local and yet universal forms become not just expressions of creativity but a continuously evolving canvas that depicts the vibrant cultural mosaic of India.

These stories now occupy pride of place on a new canvas — one that glides through the skies, turning aircrafts into flying expressions of the country’s enduring artistic heritage.

Introducing Air India Express’ Tales of India initiative — launched in October 2023, coinciding with the airline’s new brand identity — which carries forward its tradition of celebrating India’s cultural heritage through evocative aeroplane liveries. The airline’s fleet serves as a flying showcase of India’s cultural and artistic legacy, with over 50 tail- art designs. 

Under the Tales of India series, each new aircraft tail from Air India Express’ rapidly expanding fleet features a distinct design drawn from indigenous craft, textiles and traditions — from Ajrakh in Gujarat and Phulkari in Punjab to Madhubani in Bihar, Kasavu in Kerala, Pichwai in Rajasthan and Jamawar in Kashmir — reimagined for the skies, a beautiful confluence of tradition and modernity. The airline also honours the artistic traditions of the Northeast, featuring Tsüngkotepsü from Nagaland; Akyobi, Moirang Phee, and Saphee Lanphee from Manipur; Gamosa and Jaapi from Assam; Idu Mishmi from Arunachal Pradesh; Khneng from Meghalaya; and Puanchei from Mizoram.

The airline’s latest and most innovative expression of this cultural design philosophy is The Flying Canvas, a special art‑wrapped Boeing 737‑8 aeroplane (VT‑BWV), and what the airline calls the ‘fastest moving cultural installation’ in the country's skies.

In an age when travel is often reduced to distances covered and destinations reached, Tales of India offers a quieter reminder — that every journey is also an encounter, a chance to find a deeper connection. Through the language of art, one that transcends boundaries, Air India Express turns each flight into a passage through India's living heritage — proof that art, like culture, was always meant to travel.

- Sharmistha Choudhury

View a slideshow below


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