Air India completes first phase of retrofit programme; 104 A320 aircraft cabin interiors now upgraded

Air India has successfully completed the first phase of its legacy retrofit programme, marking a major milestone in its fleet modernization efforts. Here's a detailed look at what this means:

Retrofit Programme Highlights
- Fleet Upgraded: All 27 legacy A320neo aircraft have been retrofitted with brand-new cabin interiors.
- Total A320 Family Aircraft: Air India now operates 104 A320 Family aircraft with new or upgraded interiors, including newly delivered jets and those from the Vistara merger.
- Timeline: The retrofit began in September 2024 and was completed in just one year, part of a broader $400 million initiative.

Cabin Enhancements
- Three-Class Configuration: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins across all retrofitted aircraft.

- New Installations:
- 3,564 Economy Class seats
- 648 Premium Economy seats
- 216 Business Class seats
- USB-A and USB-C ports at every seat
- Vista Stream onboard entertainment with 900+ hours of content

- Materials Used:
- 450+ meters of premium leather
- 15,000+ meters of fabric
- 5,000+ square meters of carpet
- 8,000+ kg of paint for the new livery

Network Impact
- Weekly Flights: 3,024 flights across 82 domestic and short-haul international routes.

- Key Routes:
- Domestic: Delhi–Mumbai, Mumbai–Bengaluru, Delhi–Chennai, and more.
- International: Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Mauritius, Maldives, Riyadh, Jeddah, and most Singapore routes.

What’s Next
- A321 Retrofit: Begins in 2026, including aircraft from the Vistara fleet.

- Widebody Upgrades:
- Boeing 787-8: First aircraft already at Boeing’s Victorville facility.
- Boeing 777-300ER: Retrofitting starts in 2027, aiming for completion by October 2028.

This transformation is part of Air India’s broader strategy to elevate passenger experience and align with global standards.