DELHI- Tata-owned Air India (AI) has started refurbishing its Airbus A320 aircraft fleet with new business and premium economy class seats.
With these, the passengers will soon be able to enjoy them on domestic and some short-haul international flights.
Air India A320 New Seats
The move comes as Air India is merging its full-service carrier Vistara Airlines (UK) by next year. This month NCLT gave the green light to the union, making it the final approval for a successful merger.
The newly refurbished Air India A320s, along with those from Vistara, will be prioritized on metro-to-metro routes and short-haul international routes with significant business traffic.
Latest photos of the new cabin are below
Here’s the flight schedule for domestic routes effective from July 1, 2024:
| Flight # | Sector | Departure | Arrival | Days of Operation |
| AI 0803 | Delhi-Bengaluru | 0610 Hrs | 0855 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0505 | Bengaluru-Delhi | 0950 Hrs | 1240 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0502 | Delhi-Bengaluru | 1330 Hrs | 1625 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0503 | Bengaluru-Delhi | 1715 Hrs | 2005 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0463 | Delhi-Chandigarh | 2045 Hrs | 2200 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0464 | Chandigarh-Delhi | 2245 Hrs | 2345 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0813 | Delhi-Bengaluru | 0800 Hrs | 1100 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0507 | Bengaluru-Delhi | 1145 Hrs | 1435 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0815 | Delhi-Bengaluru | 1545 Hrs | 1840 Hrs | Daily |
| AI 0509 | Bengaluru-Delhi | 1930 Hrs | 2220 Hrs | Daily |
Deployment of premium A320 aircraft from Chandigarh to Metro City is a bit of a surprise for passengers. This is likely to give a premium experience for passengers traveling to North America and Europe via Delhi and Bengaluru hubs.
Three Class Configuration
The new Business cabins feature 40-inch ergonomic seats with a deep 7-inch recline, adjustable armrests, footrests, and backrests. They include a tray table that deploys at the push of a button, which features a PED holder and is extendable, along with multiple charging ports. The industry-best seat upholstery in Business class ensures maximum comfort and convenience for customers.
The all-new Premium Economy offers larger seats with superior upholstery, a four-way headrest, a wider 32-inch seat pitch with a 4-inch recline, and amenities such as a PED holder and USB charging port. Enhanced meal options, including a delectable selection of food and drinks served in upgraded crockery and cutlery, promise a superior travel experience.
Economy seats are also ergonomically designed with comfortable upholstery, a 28-29 inch seat pitch, a 4-inch recline, and ample legroom. They include features such as a PED holder, tray table, USB charging port, and coat hook.
Vistara Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft have 8 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 126-132 economy class seats. Air India A320s are expected to have a similar configuration. This move will align Air India’s product offerings with Vistara, which standardizes the operation and reduces costs.
“The seats will not be exactly like those on Vistara, but they will be an improvement over the current Air India domestic product. The seats will feature better cushions and more legroom,” said an executive to Hindu BusinessLine. With these upgrades, the airline aims to increase occupancy in its business class on domestic routes.
Below are old photos of Air India’s narrowbody interior on some of its A320 family jets, especially on A321s.
Two done 38 to Go
Air India plans to reconfigure a total of 40 Airbus A320 aircraft by mid-next year.
Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, of Air India, stated,
The introduction of a three-class cabin to Air India’s narrowbody fleet and commencement of interior refits are important steps in the journey of enhancing the flying experience. The upgrade of the narrowbody fleet, which operates on domestic and short-haul international network, complements the upgraded widebody experience now available on our A350 fleet and new B777s, and on all other widebodies as they are refitted over the next two years. This comprehensive upgradation of Air India’s physical product is an important component of transforming into a world-class airline.”
Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, Air India
Two aircraft (VT-RTW and VT-RTZ) have already been prepared with a three-class cabin at the AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) facility in Delhi (DEL) and will be introduced into service once regulatory approvals are obtained.
Currently, Air India operates its A320 aircraft in either a single all-economy or dual-class (economy and business) configuration. Separate regulatory approvals are needed to modify the aircraft since Air India’s Airbus planes currently fly in different configurations.
While modifications are underway for Airbus aircraft, the refresh of legacy Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft is delayed. A senior official mentioned that discussions with the seat manufacturer are ongoing and an update on the timeline will be provided.
In December 2022, Air India announced a $400 million plan to fully refurbish its legacy Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft with state-of-the-art seats and a new in-flight entertainment system.
Further, to assist with the cabin interior design for this refurbishment program, Air India engaged leading London-based product design companies, JPA Design and Trendworks.
Although Air India is focused on expanding its long-haul network, the unreliability of its legacy planes poses a challenge. Recently, there has been a rise in cases of technical and operations issues with widebodies that serve North American and European routes.
Feature Image by (20) Eurospot (@cliper31) / X
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