{"id":154342,"date":"2026-08-15T16:18:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T10:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=154342"},"modified":"2026-08-15T15:38:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T10:08:50","slug":"air-india-to-modernize-16-boeing-787-8s-in-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/15\/air-india-to-modernize-16-boeing-787-8s-in-2027\/","title":{"rendered":"Air India to Modernize 16 More Boeing 787-8s by Next Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NEW DELHI\u2014<\/strong> Air India (AI)<\/a> plans to retrofit 16 additional Boeing 787-8<\/a> aircraft in 2027 as Tata Group\u2019s airline continues a major fleet transformation programme. The carrier also expects the wider Air India Group, including Air India Express, to induct more than 100 new aircraft across 2027 and 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson told employees at a town hall that the airline remains focused on long-term fleet and product improvements despite a difficult operating environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Higher jet fuel prices, geopolitical tensions, airspace restrictions, currency depreciation and softer demand on the India-US corridor have created additional pressure on operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Air India, VT-ANQ, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=87549827<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Air India 787 Retrofit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Air India\u2019s $400 million legacy fleet retrofit programme is moving ahead, with the narrowbody refurbishment programme completed and the widebody phase now progressing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline has inducted three retrofitted Boeing 787-8 aircraft in 2026, while another four are expected to return to service before the end of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next phase will see 16 more Boeing 787-8 aircraft<\/a> undergo refurbishment in 2027. Once those aircraft return to service, the retrofit of Air India\u2019s Boeing 787-8 fleet is expected to be nearly complete, giving the carrier a more consistent cabin product across its long-haul operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The refurbishment introduces new cabin interiors, seats and inflight entertainment systems, bringing the legacy aircraft closer to the standards of Air India\u2019s newer widebody aircraft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline previously said its 26 legacy Boeing 787-8s would receive comprehensive upgrades as part of the wider programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Mumbai Planes | Siddh Dhuri<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fleet Expansion Plans for Air India <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Alongside the retrofit work, Air India is expanding its fleet with new-generation aircraft. The carrier has added three new Boeing 787-9s in 2026, while two Airbus A350-1000 aircraft<\/a> are expected to join the fleet later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The larger Air India Group is preparing for a much stronger growth phase in 2027 and 2028, when more than 100 new aircraft<\/strong> are planned for induction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expansion is expected to increase capacity while replacing older aircraft and supporting the group\u2019s international network ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air India has continued investing in upgraded cabins, food and beverage offerings, Maharaja Club lounges, loyalty services, inflight entertainment and onboard Wi-Fi. The airline said customer sentiment has improved as more refurbished and new aircraft enter service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Reliability Improvements Aboard Indian Flag Carrier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Operational disruptions caused by airspace restrictions have also been used to accelerate maintenance and engineering work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During periods of temporary network curtailment, Air India advanced three major widebody maintenance checks and added six rejuvenation lines to address aircraft defects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline also introduced an additional Boeing production line to increase the pace of retrofit work. These measures have helped improve widebody technical dispatch reliability, which has reached 97.4%, The Hindu Business Line<\/a> flagged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air India is therefore pursuing fleet growth alongside a broad reliability and customer-experience overhaul. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annual salary increments for all employees, including ground staff and cabin crew, will also take effect from October 1, 2026, while revised pilot remuneration will begin on the same date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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