Air India’s first Boeing 787-8 retrofit lands in India: Premium push, delays, what’s next — explained
Air India’s VT-ANT landed in Delhi yesterday after spending nine months in California undergoing a retrofit. This is the first of 26 aircraft that will undergo refurbishment and a livery change before being reintroduced into commercial operations. The $400 million fleet retrofit programme has received a boost with the re-induction of the first aircraft.
This is also the first widebody aircraft in Air India’s fleet to undergo a retrofit. Air India, which was privatised in 2022 and is now part of the Tata Group, with a 25.1% stake held by the Singapore Airlines Group, has been facing multiple challenges amid global supply chain disruptions and a legacy fleet that had not seen major interior upgrades for years. The airline attempted to tide over the crisis by inducting available aircraft, including those previously operated by Delta Air Lines and Etihad Airways, which were in better condition than older Air India planes.
Premium focus
Induction of Air India’s 787-8 Dreamliners began in September 2012. The airline has since inducted 27 Boeing 787-8 aircraft, one of which was lost in an accident in Ahmedabad last year. No major upgrades had been carried out on this fleet during government ownership.
The retrofit programme will introduce brand-new interiors and seats in a three-class configuration: Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy. This includes upgraded in-flight entertainment systems, new carpets, curtains, upholstery, lavatories, galleys, and more.
The legacy 787-8 configuration includes 18 Business Class seats and 256 Economy seats. Data from Cirium shows that the updated aircraft will feature 20 Business Class seats, 25 Premium Economy seats, and 205 Economy seats. While total seating reduces slightly to 250 from 256, the addition of Premium Economy and increased Business Class capacity signals a shift towards premium positioning.
Where will this plane fly?
According to Cirium, the aircraft will be deployed on the Delhi–London Heathrow Airport route daily starting 1 May 2026.
Air India currently operates 24 weekly flights from Delhi to London Heathrow. Of these, 14 are operated by the Airbus A350, while 10 are flown using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, many of which are ex-Vistara planes. All these flights offer three-class service.
From May, Air India will operate seven services each using the 787-9 and the retrofitted 787-8, while 10 services will continue on the A350. This shift will help ease the utilisation pressure on the Airbus A350 fleet, which also operates long-haul routes to North America.
Two more aircraft are currently undergoing retrofit and are expected to join the fleet soon. Cirium data indicates that a retrofitted 787-8 will be deployed on the Mumbai–London route in July, alongside a 787-9 with a different seating configuration, suggesting the possible delivery of another line-fit 787-9 by then.
As more retrofitted aircraft enter service, the airline may rotate these planes on London routes, freeing up A350S for longer-haul operations, especially at a time when airspace restrictions are leading to technical stops and operational challenges.
Delays continue
Air India sent this aircraft for refurbishment in July last year and had initially expected it to return to service by December 2025. With the aircraft now back, this marks a delay of around three and a half months.
All 26 aircraft are scheduled to be retrofitted by mid-2027, and the pace may accelerate after the first aircraft. However, Air India also experienced delays in its A320 retrofit programme, which it completed in October 2025.
Tail Note
As Air India looks to appoint a new CEO to lead its next phase of growth, one of the key priorities will be to standardise onboard interiors and overall passenger experience. While the groundwork has been laid, the airline’s initial five-year transformation plan, Vihaan.AI, appears to have been delayed, with the Boeing 777 retrofit now expected no earlier than 2028.
Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to impact global aviation. Indian carriers are also facing additional challenges due to the closure of Pakistani airspace. Whether the upgraded product helps Air India command higher fares and strengthen its premium positioning remains to be seen.
