Air India has taken delivery of the first of 20 A350-900s, with five more of the Airbus aircraft set to join the carrier’s fleet by March next year.
The airline has configured its A350s with a total of 316 Collins Aerospace-designed seats, with 28 suites in business class, 24 seats in premium economy and 264 in economy.
The A350 also sports Air India’s new livery – which was unveiled earlier this year – and will be the first aircraft to feature cabin crew wearing the airline’s new uniforms.
The aircraft (registration VT-JRA) will enter commercial service in January, initially on domestic routes for crew familiarisation before being deployed on long-haul flights. More details on this are expected to be announced “in the coming weeks”.
Few details have been published by the airline regarding the new A350 seating, but Air India did post several images of the new products on its social media pages.
Commenting on the news Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer and managing director, Air India, said:
“This moment marks a red-letter day for all of us at Air India. The A350 is not just metal and engines; it’s the flying embodiment of the relentless efforts of all Air India employees towards our airline’s continuing transformation and of our commitment to setting new benchmarks. It is also, in many ways, a declaration of Indian aviation’s resurgence on the world stage.”
“As a symbol of the new age of flying, the A350 promises a world-class, long-haul travel experience on our non-stop routes, providing an unparallelled level of comfort. Its excellent flight economics and state of-the-art technology underscore our dedication to commercially successful operations and to achieving our sustainability goals.”
In February Air India announced record orders for 470 Airbus and Boeing aircraft – including a total of 40 A350 aircraft (20 A350-900s and 20 A350-1000s). A US$400 million refurbishment of existing widebody fleets is also set to start in 2024.
Air India “seals record order” for nearly 500 Airbus and Boeing aircraft
