Air India adds first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in years
What's the story
Air India, the Tata Group-owned airline, has added a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to its fleet. This is the first such aircraft to join the Air India fleet in over eight years. The title transfer of this state-of-the-art aircraft was completed at Boeing's Everett factory in Seattle on January 7, an official said on Thursday.
Delivery details
Aircraft to arrive in India soon
The new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will be arriving in India within a few days after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) inspections. This is the first "line fit" Dreamliner to be inducted by Air India since its privatization in January 2022. A "line fit" aircraft is one that has been specifically manufactured for a particular airline, according to industry standards.
Aircraft specifications
New aircraft features 3-class configuration
The new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner comes with a three-class configuration, including economy, premium economy, and business class seats. This is the first wide-body aircraft and the 52nd overall delivery from the order of 220 Boeing jets placed in 2023. The last "line fit" Dreamliner that Air India had acquired was back in October 2017 when it was still under government ownership.
Fleet growth
Fleet expansion under Tata Group
After the Tata Group took over in January 2022, Air India placed orders for 350 Airbus and 220 Boeing planes. So far, six A350s have been inducted into the Air India fleet from this order. The airline also has 26 B787-8s and acquired six B787-9s from the now-defunct Vistara, which was merged with Air India.
Fleet status
Current fleet and future plans
The Air India Group currently has over 300 planes, with 185 under Air India and the rest under Air India Express. An official said that a dozen more legacy Dreamliners with refreshed interiors are expected to return to service by 2026. This expansion is part of the airline's strategy to modernize its fleet and improve passenger experience.