Air India upgrades 104 A320 family aircraft with modern cabins, ETTravelWorld

Air India has completed the first phase of its fleet modernization programme, successfully updating all 27 of its legacy A320neo aircraft with updated cabin interiors and the airline’s new livery. This represents a major milestone in the company’s US$400 million initiative to completely renew its aging fleet, which began in September 2024.

With the completion of this phase, Air India now operates 104 A320 family aircraft with new or improved interiors. The upgraded fleet – which includes upgraded A320neo aircraft, newly delivered A320neo aircraft and those consolidated through the ongoing integration with Vistara – supports 3,024 weekly flights across 82 routes. These include India’s busiest domestic sectors such as Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Bengaluru and Delhi-Chennai, as well as short-haul international destinations including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Male, Riyadh and Singapore.

Each of the updated A320neo aircraft now features a completely redesigned three-class cabin equipped with:

1. 3,564 new seats in economy class

2. 648 seats in premium economy class

3. 216 seats in business class

To enhance passenger comfort and aesthetics, Air India has installed over 450 meters of premium leather, 15,000 meters of fabric, 5,000 square meters of new carpets, along with 8,000 kg of paint for the updated upholstery. Each seat includes USB-A and USB-C charging ports, allowing passengers to power devices and access Vista Stream, Air India’s in-flight entertainment streaming service that offers nearly 900 hours of global content.

The airline’s narrowbody operations continue to record strong passenger satisfaction, with its Net Promoter Score (NPS) consistently hovering between 45 and 50 points in recent months.

Commenting on this achievement, Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director, Air India, said: “We continue to make good progress in upgrading our fleet. With over 100 of our A320 family aircraft now featuring modern interiors, our guests will enjoy a premium travel experience across our extensive network. As we celebrate the end of the first phase of the narrow-body retrofit, we remain committed to elevating the passenger experience and offering our guests world-class cabin products.”

Looking ahead, Air India plans to start upgrading 13 older A321 aircraft from 2026, along with consolidating the Vistara fleet. The airline’s widebody modernization program is also underway, with the first of 26 Boeing 787-8 aircraft currently being upgraded at Boeing’s facility in Victorville, California. The refurbishment of the 787-8 aircraft is scheduled to be completed in mid-2027, followed by the modernization of 13 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, expected to be completed by October 2028.

The extensive modernization efforts underscore Air India’s commitment to transform its fleet and deliver a premium and globally competitive travel experience across domestic and international operations.

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