Air India has received its first of 13 legacy Boeing 777-300ER aircraft following a significant refresh. The airline has announced that the refresh of the remaining planes in the fleet will be completed by the end of the year.
The overhaul, which began last year, faced delays due to ongoing supply chain issues. As a result, Air India opted for a “heavy refresh” of the aircraft, a process that includes replacing carpets, seat covers, cushions, and repairing any damaged seats.
Air India operates a fleet of 40 legacy wide-body aircraft, including 13 B777s and 27 B787s. The refresh of the B777-300ER took place in Singapore and was completed in around 50 days. The full refresh of the remaining B777s is expected to be finished by year-end.
Once the planes are refreshed, they will initially be deployed on domestic routes for a day or two before being used for ultra-long-haul flights. These aircraft typically service routes to destinations like Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco, Chicago, Newark, and New York, which have flight durations of over 14 hours.
The airline’s fleet includes 67 wide-body aircraft, including 19 B777-300ERs (six of which are leased from Etihad Airways), 8 B777-200LRs (five leased from Delta Air Lines), 27 legacy B787-8s, 7 B787-9s, and 6 A350-600s. The first legacy B787 aircraft is scheduled to be sent for retrofitting in April.
Additionally, Air India’s fleet includes 14 A321neos, 13 A321ceos, 94 A320neos, 4 A320ceos, and 6 A319s. The airline is undergoing a substantial upgrade, with its USD 400 million retrofit program already underway for both narrow-body and wide-body planes. The first retrofitted A320neo aircraft has already returned to service, and all 27 A320neo aircraft are expected to be retrofitted by the third quarter of this year.
Air India’s Managing Director and CEO, Campbell Wilson, recently shared that the airline aims to complete the upgrades of all its legacy wide-body aircraft by mid-2027. The retrofit process has faced challenges, particularly related to the availability of aircraft engines, seat supplies, and parts for fuselage components.
Wilson noted that the airline, like others worldwide, is experiencing a supply-constrained environment that will persist for another 4-5 years due to industry-wide delays. “We are victims of the circumstances, as is every other airline,” he added.
With inputs from PTI