Air India Begins Widebody Retrofit Programme, Speeds Up Narrowbody Upgrades
The upgraded aircraft, with new cabins and modern amenities, is now expected to return to service in December instead of October as previously announced by Air India.
Air India Ltd. has officially commenced the widebody retrofit phase of its $ 400 million fleet modernisation initiative, confirming details reported earlier by NDTV Profit. 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.
The airline has begun upgrading its legacy Boeing 787-8 fleet, with the first of 26 aircraft flown to Boeing’s Victorville, California facility in July 2025. The upgraded aircraft, with new cabins and modern amenities, is now expected to return to service in December instead of October as previously announced.
A second aircraft is set to depart in October 2025 and return to service in December.
The retrofit programme, scheduled for completion by mid-2027, will equip the B787-8s with entirely new interiors in a three-class configuration—Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy. Upgrades include new seats in every cabin, advanced inflight entertainment systems, redesigned galleys and lavatories, fresh carpeting, curtains and upholstery.
From early 2027, the airline will extend the retrofit to 13 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, aiming for completion by October 2028, following delays linked to supply chain constraints.
Seven Dreamliners will additionally undergo heavy scheduled maintenance (D-checks) at Victorville, securing their operational readiness for years to come.
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.
Currently, its narrowbody jets—A320neos—are also undergoing interior upgrades. The airline in its press release expects the retrofit to complete by September 2025.
So far, 16 A320neos have been upgraded, with the 15th returning to service on Aug. 9 and the 16th due back on Aug. 11. The remaining 11 will be completed over the next six weeks.
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.
