THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though the tragedy of August 7 dealt Air India Express (AIE) a blow, it has not clipped the wings of the profit-making low-budget airline by any account. Ever since posting a profit of Rs 362 crore in the 2015-16 fiscal with just 19 aircrafts, the company has been on an upward trajectory. Though the profit margin saw a decline, it was primarily due to the airline’s decision to expand its fleet, which has reached 25 now — 17 owned by AIE and eight on lease.