Air India Express has picked up the 'Best Use of AI in Customer Experience' prize at the UBS Forums 25th CX Strategy Summit & Awards 2026, thanks largely to Tia — the budget carrier's AI-powered digital assistant that now handles the bulk of its passenger support.

Tia isn't new: introduced in 2021, it was the first chatbot platform deployed by an airline in India. Since then it has grown from a simple web chat tool into a full support system spanning the airline's website, mobile app, WhatsApp and its contact centre, operating around the clock. The numbers are striking. More than 75% of guest interactions are now resolved through Tia's chat and voice automation, and it handles roughly 15,000 queries every day. That means shorter call queues and less waiting on email for passengers.

There are more than 100 self-service options built in, so travellers can manage bookings, cancellations, refunds, flight status checks and baggage questions without ever speaking to a human. If you'd rather deal with a person, you still can — Customer Happiness Specialists can pick up any conversation, with the full interaction history carried across channels so you don't have to repeat yourself.

The award comes hot on the heels of another milestone: a 4-Star World Airline Rating from Skytrax, the highest distinction available to a value carrier. That rating covers onboard product, airport experience and service delivery, while Tia represents the digital side of the same transformation push.

Tia's real test came during the West Asia flight disruptions in April, when it absorbed nearly four-fifths of all guest queries. Passengers could rebook, reschedule and cancel — including changes to both origin and destination airports, subject to seats being available — which helped stranded travellers get home faster than they might have through jammed phone lines.

What's next? The airline says Tia is heading towards multilingual support, deeper personalisation and even more self-service features.

For anyone flying Air India Express, the practical takeaway is simple: skip the queue and use the bot. You can reach Tia on WhatsApp at +91 6360012345 or through the airline's voice support line at +91 124 4435600. For a low-cost carrier, having a competent self-service layer can make the difference between a minor hiccup and a holiday-ruining delay — and it's good to see the tool proved itself when flights were actually falling apart.