Air India Completes Major Aircraft Upgrade, Enhances 104 A320 Cabins
Air India has successfully completed the first phase of its $400 million legacy retrofit programme, upgrading 104 Airbus A320 aircraft with modern cabin interiors. The enhanced aircraft will now serve passengers on 3,024 weekly flights across 82 domestic and short-haul international routes.
Key Takeaways
- 104 Airbus A320 aircraft upgraded with new cabins
- $400 million modernization initiative
- 3,024 weekly flights across 82 routes now feature upgraded aircraft
- Next phases will cover A321, B787 and B777 aircraft through 2028
Modernization Milestone Achieved
The retrofit programme, launched in September 2024, represents Air India’s comprehensive effort to modernize its entire legacy fleet. The final batch of 27 aircraft returned to service recently with new interiors and the airline’s fresh livery. Combined with 14 newly delivered A320neo aircraft and those integrated from the Vistara merger, the total count reached 104 upgraded aircraft.
Expanded Network Coverage
Passengers can now experience the upgraded cabins on major domestic routes including Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Bengaluru, Delhi-Hyderabad, Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi-Chennai, and key metro connections. International short-haul routes to destinations like Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Maldives, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, and several Southeast Asian cities will also feature the modernized aircraft.
Enhanced Passenger Experience
The cabin upgrades include a complete transformation with 3,564 new economy class seats, 648 premium economy seats, and 216 business class seats. The refurbishment utilized over 450 meters of premium leather, 15,000 meters of fabric, 5,000 square meters of carpet, and 8,000kg of paint for the new livery.
All seats now feature USB-A and USB-C charging ports, enabling passengers to access Air India’s ‘Vista Stream’ inflight entertainment service. The streaming platform offers nearly 900 hours of global cinematic content that travelers can enjoy on their personal devices.
Future Retrofit Plans
Air India has outlined ambitious plans for subsequent phases of its modernization drive. The airline will begin retrofitting 13 legacy A321 aircraft from 2026, coordinating with the integration of former Vistara fleet aircraft.
The widebody retrofit programme is already underway, with the first of 26 B787-8 aircraft sent to a Boeing facility in California in July 2025. This programme remains on track for completion by mid-2027. Starting early 2027, the airline will retrofit 13 legacy Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, targeting completion by October 2028.
Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer and managing director of Air India, said, “With over 100 of our A320 Family aircraft now featuring modern interiors, our guests will enjoy a superior travel experience across our extensive network. As we mark the end of the first phase of our narrowbody retrofit, we remain committed to elevating passenger experience and offering cabin products of global standards to our guests.”
The completion of this first phase marks a significant step in Air India’s journey toward becoming a world-class carrier, with continued investments in fleet modernization and passenger comfort.
