



Target 2029: Air India’s fleet upgrade hits two-year delay
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Air India has said it will complete the retrofit of its legacy aircraft by 2029, nearly two years later than originally planned, after supply-chain constraints slowed its fleet overhaul plans. The final phase of the programme will cover 19 wide-body jets starting in the second half 2027 and is expected to take up to two years to complete, a senior executive said on Sunday.“There are some 777 Boeing aircraft which will be sent for retrofit in the second half of 2027 and these will be ready in the next 18 to 24 months… so by 2029.
These will be the last of the legacy aircraft that we have which require refurbishing,” said Rajesh Dogra, chief customer experience officer, Air India.The Tata Group-owned carrier is already retrofitting 26 legacy wide-body Boeing jets, some as part of a broader effort to upgrade its product and align it with global full-service standards. Retrofitting includes installing new seats and refreshed cabin interiors, and introducing a three-class configuration—business, premium economy and economy.
Wide-body aircraft have two aisles, compared with the single-aisle narrow-body jets typically used on domestic or short-haul international routes. The first retrofitted 787-8 aircraft was inducted into the fleet last week, marking the start of visible upgrades under the programme.
“We expect another 7-8 more of the retrofitted 787-8s to be inducted by the end of 2026,” Dogra said. “All 787-8s will be retrofitted and be ready by March-end 2028,” Dogra added.Retrofit work on the airline’s legacy narrow-body fleet of 27 jets was completed in 2025, allowing the airline to standardize cabins on its domestic and short-haul international network.
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