Air India's New Benchmark: How One New Boeing 787-9 is Reshaping its Entire Fleet
The aircraft landed in Hyderabad for the Wings India 2026 event
Air India's New Benchmark: How One New Boeing 787-9 is Reshaping its Entire Fleet
Air India has marked a major milestone in its ongoing fleet transformation under the Tata Group by unveiling the custom-styled cabin interiors of its first line-fit Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Registered as VT-AWA, this is the first wide-body jet to roll out of Boeing's production line with interiors designed exclusively for Air India.
According to the report, the aircraft landed in Hyderabad for the Wings India 2026 event. Delivered on January 11 after a nonstop ferry flight from Washington to Delhi, the Dreamliner is scheduled to enter commercial service on the Mumbai–Frankfurt route starting February 1, 2026.
The aircraft features a three-class configuration with 296 seats across Business Class suites, Premium Economy, and Economy seats. Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said that this aircraft represents a defining moment in the airline’s five-year "Vihaan.AI" transformation programme. The new cabin design, which includes 4K QLED in-flight entertainment and "chakra-inspired" mood lighting, will become the standard across the entire Boeing 787 fleet.
Air India is currently retrofitting its 26 existing Boeing 787-8 aircraft with the same interiors, with the full fleet upgrade targeted for completion by mid-2027.
Source: The Tribune