- Air India has restored its last grounded aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER (VT-ALL), ending a six-year hiatus since February 2020
- The restoration at Nagpur MRO involved 3,000+ new parts and a complete rebuild of the aircraft's engines, avionics, and hydraulics.
- Completed under Boeing guidance and DGCA oversight, the revival comes amidst tightened industry maintenance standard
Air India has re-launched VT-ALL, a widebody aircraft that had remained grounded and untouched since February 2020. As the last of 30 grounded aircraft, the return of this Boeing 777-300ER marks the final chapter in a massive restoration process. The aircraft has completed all regulatory safety compliance requirements, including a successful test flight to conclude its path to restoration.
Since Air India returned to the Tata Group in 2022, a primary priority has been rebuilding the fleet and restoring strategic aviation transit capacity.
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Configuration of VT-ALL
The VT-ALL had been grounded for years due to multiple unserviceable systems and aging components. In April 2025, the airline initiated efforts to bring it back to full operational life to support long-haul expansion. The aircraft entered the AIESL Nagpur MRO facility, beginning an intensive, nose-to-tail restoration programme, according to an official statement from Air India.
The scale of the task was exceptional:
The installation of over 3,000 new parts marks a major structural upgrade, a scale of work rarely seen in standard maintenance.
Modifications included 4,000 maintenance tasks and crucial structural reinforcement.
The overhaul involved replacing critical systems, including the engines, Auxiliary Power Units (APU), inlet and fan cowls, and thrust reverser cowls.
The aircraft underwent a full systems rebuild—covering air-conditioning, landing gear, hydraulics, oxygen, avionics, and engine systems—essentially reconstructing the aircraft's functional backbone.
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The project concluded with stringent testing of every part replacement, system restoration, and structural repair. Under the technical guidance of Boeing and with oversight from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), skilled engineering teams completed a comprehensive renewal of the aircraft.
This development occurs as the aviation sector remains under heightened safety scrutiny. Following last year's Air India crash in Ahmedabad, the DGCA has tightened its grip on maintenance practices and regulatory compliance to ensure industry-wide safety standards.
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