Air India opens bookings for India's first Airbus A350
What's the story
Air India on Monday opened bookings for its new and India's first-of-its-kind Airbus A350, which is set to commence commercial service on January 22, 2024. Initially, the A350 will fly domestic routes, such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, for crew training and regulatory compliance. After this initial phase, the aircraft will take on longer international flights. The first flight of the A350 aircraft will be from Bengaluru to Mumbai at 7:05am on January 22.
Details
A350's features and inaugural flight
The A350-900 features a three-class cabin layout with 316 seats, including 28 private Business suites with full-flat beds. It also features 24 Premium Economy seats with extra legroom and amenities and 264 roomy Economy seats. Each seat is fitted with the state-of-the-art Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system and HD screens, ensuring an enjoyable experience for passengers.
What Next?
Air India's A350 fleet expansion plans
Owned by Tata Group, Air India took delivery of its first Airbus A350 on December 23, 2023, registered as VT-JRA. Campbell Wilson, CEO & Managing Director of Air India, described the A350 as "the flying embodiment of the relentless efforts of all Air India employees toward our airline's continuing transformation." Air India has ordered 20 Airbus A350-900s, with five more set to be delivered by March 2024.