Air India (AI) is set to offer onboard WiFi services in its redecorated wide-body aircraft over the next two years.
The process will begin with the introduction of six new wide-body Airbus A350 aircraft into the fleet.
Air India To Offer Onboard WiFi Services
These aircraft will be equipped with onboard WiFi, with other wide-body planes, including existing ones, to follow suit. The entire wide-body fleet of Air India is expected to have brand new interiors within the next two years.
By the end of March next year, Air India plans to induct 19 new wide-body aircraft, which will be the first to have onboard WiFi. Starting from mid-2024, the airline will send its 40 existing wide-body aircraft (27 Boeing 787s and 13 B777s) for complete refurbishment, including the installation of new seats, inflight entertainment systems (IFE), and onboard WiFi.
The aim is to provide a completely new cabin experience, with all twin-aisle aircraft expected to have new interiors by mid-2025.
Additionally, Air India aims to give a complete makeover to a majority of its full-service single-aisle aircraft by September 2024. The airline plans to induct 50 single-aisle aircraft during this fiscal year, and by September 2024, around 75-80% of the full-service single-aisle fleet will have brand new interiors. The remaining 20-25% will be refurbished and used by AI Express, Air India’s low-cost arm. This means that in the next two years, Air India’s full-service arm will have completely new interiors across its planes.
Air India Reinstates Some Weekly Non-stop Flights To The USA
Air India has also started reinstating some of the weekly non-stop flights to the United States that were temporarily suspended due to a shortage of B777 crew. The airline is hiring more pilots and cabin crew, with plans to hire 600 crew members (550 cabin crew and 50 pilots) every month.
Moreover, Air India is in talks with Airbus to acquire undelivered planes from Go First, an airline facing financial difficulties. Air India has requested Airbus to consider delivering the A320neo family planes with CFM engines, which are compatible with Air India’s fleet.
The airline is confident that it has the necessary crew to operate the additional A320 aircraft, with many pilots from Go First having joined Air India recently.
Overall, these developments reflect Air India’s efforts to enhance the onboard experience for passengers, improve its fleet, and expand its operations in the coming years.
