Air India is embarking on a major fleet upgrade, retrofitting its Boeing 787 aircraft to enhance passenger experience and modernise its long-haul operations.
Photograph: ANI Photo>
Key Points
- Air India is retrofitting its legacy Boeing 787-8 aircraft to enhance long-haul flight experience.
- The first retrofitted Boeing 787-8 features a three-class configuration: business, premium economy, and economy.
- Air India expects to complete retrofitting eight Boeing 787-8s by the end of this year and 85% by the end of 2027.
- The airline’s fleet modernisation includes upgrades to both Boeing 787 and Boeing 777 aircraft.
- New wide-body planes, including Boeing 787-9s and A350-1000s, are expected to join the Air India fleet in 2026.
Air India expects to complete retrofitting of seven more legacy Boeing 787-8 planes this year as it upgrades the fleet of these aircraft that is key to the airline’s long-haul operations.
The loss-making carrier, which is in the midst of an ambitious transformation plan, has received the first of its retrofitted legacy Boeing 787-8 plane, which has 250 seats in three class configuration of business, premium economy and economy. The plane landed in the national capital on April 13.
Air India’s Retrofit Timeline
Air India’s Chief Customer Experience Officer Rajesh Dogra on Sunday said the airline expects to complete retrofitting of a total of eight legacy Boeing 787-8s this year.
This includes the plane that landed on April 13.
On Sunday, the airline unveiled the retrofitted, twin-aisle B787-8 (VT-ANT) that underwent a nose-to-tail cabin refresh.
According to Dogra, 85 per cent of the legacy Boeing 787-8 planes retrofit is expected to be completed by the end of 2027 and retrofitting of all such aircraft is likely to be over by the first quarter of 2028.
Fleet Composition and Future Plans
The Tata Group-owned airline has 33 Boeing 787s or Dreamliners in its fleet of over 190 planes.
Apart from the 26 legacy Boeing 787-8s, there are 7 Boeing 787-9s, including 6 from Vistara and the first tailor-made plane that was inducted in January this year.
The retrofit of legacy Boeing 777 planes is expected to start in the second half of 2027, Dogra said.
Air India’s Transformation
In a release issued on Sunday, Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said the retrofit of its first widebody aircraft is a visible symbol of the momentum behind the airline’s transformation.
“With 25 other 787s undergoing this comprehensive refresh, we are rapidly modernising the backbone of our long-haul fleet and raising the bar for customers flying between India and the world,” he said.
The aircraft VT-ANT received comprehensive interior upgrades at Boeing’s Modification Center in Victorville, California and the painting was done at AeroPro, an aircraft paint facility in San Bernardino, California.
Wilson, at a briefing in November last year, had said that in 2026, Air India Group would receive 6 new wide-body planes — a mix of Boeing 787-9s and A350-1000s — along with 20 narrow-bodied aircraft.
Air India Group comprises Air India and Air India Express.
Air India’s fleet upgrade is part of a larger effort to regain market share in international travel. The airline faces stiff competition from Emirates and other carriers that offer modern amenities. Passengers can expect improved comfort and entertainment options on these retrofitted planes.
Disclaimer: News content is sourced from the stated source. Headlines, summaries, section headers, and images are automatically generated or selected using AI/algorithms and may not always be fully accurate. Readers are advised to refer to the full article for complete context.
