Air India on Friday announced that it has finished retrofitting all 27 of its legacy A320neo aircraft, adding premium economy cabins as part of its ongoing USD 400 million fleet-modernisation programme. The upgrade effort, which began in September 2024, marks a key milestone in the Tata-owned carrier’s multi-year transformation plan.
With the latest upgrade, Air India now operates 104 A320-family aircraft with refreshed interiors, enabling 3,024 weekly flights across 82 domestic and short-haul international routes. The refurbished narrow-body jets now include 4,428 new seats — 3,564 in economy, 648 in premium economy, and 216 in business class.
The airline currently maintains an operational fleet of around 190 aircraft, including legacy Boeing 777s and 787s, new Airbus A350s, and 14 newly leased A320s. Other older narrow-body planes — 13 A320ceos, 4 A321ceos and 6 A319s — are also slated for phased upgrades.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson recently stated that the airline will complete refurbishment of all Boeing 787-8s by mid-2027 and Boeing 777s by early 2028. The carrier expects delivery of its first new Dreamliner between December and January.
Since being acquired by Tata Group in January 2022, the airline has taken delivery of six Airbus A350s and operates roughly 4,500 flights weekly. While progress continues, Air India has faced challenges including technical issues on legacy aircraft. The company remains focused on modernisation as part of its five-year transformation programme.
