Air India Begins Dreamliner Upgrades To Lure Back Disgruntled Passengers; First 787-8 Sent To US For Retrofit
Under the first phase of the multi-year turnaround programme, the airline aims to retrofit its 26 Boeing 787-8 aircraft, some of which are more than 10 years old.
Air India has finally sent its first legacy Boeing 787 aircraft to the US for a retrofit at the end of July following prior delays. The upgraded aircraft, with new cabins and modern amenities, is now expected to return to service in December instead of October as previously announced, according to people familiar with the matter.
The retrofit exercise comes at a critical time for the airline, which is under mounting pressure to fix recurring in-flight issues of its faulty Boeing jets.
Passengers have taken to social media to share their concerns, ranging from broken seats, unclean cabin conditions, stale and undercooked meals, and malfunctioning entertainment systems. Poor upkeep and subpar service have sparked public discontent, affecting Air India's reputation.
In the face of these backlashes, the management of the Tata Group carrier is under intense scrutiny to improve customer service and fleet maintenance standards as part of its broader efforts to rebuild its image and passenger trust in a highly competitive domestic and global market.
Part of Air India's ambitious $400 million programme, the retrofits for the 787 fleet were originally scheduled to begin in the second half of 2024 but have faced delays due to supply chain bottlenecks and issues with seat suppliers. The timeline to begin the programme has been revised twice — first to April and then to June. CEO Campbell Wilson had earlier acknowledged that these delays would incur additional costs.
Air India, however, didn't respond to NDTV Profit's specific queries on this matter till press time.
Under the first phase of the multi-year turnaround programme, the airline aims to retrofit its 26 Boeing 787-8 aircraft, some of which are more than 10 years old. It targets completion by mid-2027. Starting next year, the airline plans to retrofit two to three aircraft simultaneously, deploying the first retrofitted aircraft back into service before proceeding with others.
Currently, its narrowbody jets—A320neos—are also undergoing interior upgrades. Additionally, the retrofit of Boeing 777 widebodies will start late next year.
The overhaul coincides with the ongoing safety inspections of Air India's fleet post-Ahmedabad crash, involving a Boeing 787-8, killing 260 lives.
The airline has reduced the frequency of some flights and is using leased aircraft on key international routes to manage operations amid fleet upgrades, enhanced pre-flight safety checks and airspace closures.
