Wednesday, September 18, 2024 Air India $400m transformation is set to upgrade 67 aircraft with ultra-modern cabins, advanced seating, and unmatched inflight luxury by mid-2025. Air India has unveiled an extensive US$400 million refurbishment initiative aimed at modernizing 67 of its legacy aircraft. This phased revamp is designed to align its fleet with the new Air India experience, introducing a three-cabin configuration featuring new seats, carpets, curtains, and upholstery.
The project begins with 27 narrowbody Airbus A320neo jets, followed by 40 widebody Boeing planes. The first aircraft to undergo this transformation is the narrowbody A320neo, registration VT-EXN, which entered the hangar on Monday. After completing prototyping and obtaining regulatory approvals, VT-EXN is slated to return to commercial service by December 2024, joining the fleet of eight recently delivered A320neo aircraft already equipped with updated cabin interiors.
Following VT-EXN, Air India plans to retrofit three to four aircraft each month, with the entire narrowbody fleet expected to be upgraded by mid-2025. The refurbished A320neo will feature eight luxurious Business Class seats, 24 Premium Economy seats with extra legroom, and 132 Economy seats designed for maximum comfort. The upgraded cabins will also include modern amenities like subtle cabin lighting, wider seat pitch, and convenient PED holders with USB type A and C charging ports for mobile devices, laptops, and more.
The updated inte.