Air India Focusses On Building A Premium Carrier With The A350 Aircraft

Air India, last month, completed two years of being a privatised carrier, raising hopes that the airline would have changed given that it is now owned by the Tata Group. However, reviving the carrier is no small task and requires a committed team, an open chequebook and a shared sense of purpose. And earlier in January, it all came together to show the first glimpse of the future of Air India.

Air India made headlines last year for ordering 470 aircraft for itself and its no-frill subsidiary, Air India Express. It also committed $400 million towards revamping its existing fleet of Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft to make them as good as new on the inside (and outside). However, the airline is not working in isolation, and it takes time to select and procure aircraft components and delivery slots. And aviation is no different in a world where we hear about supply chain issues for everything.

It is no secret that Indian airlines think their premium customers are lost to hub airlines in the Middle East and Europe. To compete with said carriers, the Indian carriers need a product as premium as theirs before they can go to discerning customers to ask them to switch. And Air India got an opportunity in adversity to get there.

Right off the bat, AI recognised that it did not have enough equipment to fly as much long-haul as it would like. So it went around leasing wide-body aircraft. Due to the pandemic, airlines like Delta and Etihad have decided to scrap some of their aircraft. Air India picked up these aircraft on lease and will keep them at least till their own ordered widebodies enter the fleet. Incidentally, this was the first taste Air India’s customers got of a premium Air India.

Another opportunity in adversity for Air India was the invasion of Ukraine, which caused sanctions on Russia. Aeroflot, the Russian carrier, had all these new widebodies on order that it could no longer take delivery of, and some of these were directed towards Air India.

Buying aircraft already configured to another carrier’s specifications meant that Air India got a class-leading product (perhaps) cheaper and quicker than when it would have gone about selecting its own equipment. But this was a blessing in disguise for an airline that needs to show a turnaround on steroids. It ordered the aircraft in 2023 and received the first one the same year.

Air India has ordered 40 Airbus A350 aircraft, of which six are delivered to Air India per the Aeroflot specifications. The remaining 34 will be built fresh in the factory to Air India’s specifications but will arrive in 2025 or later. The first has joined the fleet, and the other five will be inducted by May 2024.

At the biennial Wings India civil aviation conclave, Air India displayed their first A350-900 aircraft to the visitors. The airline had pegged the reveal of its new brand to the entry of the A350 aircraft into service. So, it was an opportunity to go inside and see the interiors and other touches that Air India intends to show the “new” Air India.

Air India’s new A350-900 aircraft could fly 316 passengers across three cabins: 28 in Business Class, 24 in Premium Economy, and 264 in Economy Class.

Once on board, you will be welcomed into a gorgeous business-class cabin, which is enclosed. You can keep the doors open, but most people would perhaps keep them shut. Inside the business class is a 21-inch screen and a personal wardrobe to hang your clothes. There is also a 79-inch fully flat bed for those ultra-long-haul flights for which this aircraft is built.

On settling in for your flight, you would be greeted with all-new Ferragamo amenity kits and presented with Tumi loungewear, yours to keep after the flight. If you wanted to sleep, you would also have quality bedding, with bespoke quilts, duvets and mattress toppers. Not just that, guests in Business Class would also receive a blanket made of a premium wool blend with a delicate jacquard border and motifs inspired by the traditional Sozni embroidery of Jammu and Kashmir.

If you want to stretch or grab a drink and chat with other passengers, the bar is right behind the business class area, where one can get a drink and snacks.

When it is time for a meal, premium passengers will see all-new tableware with silver trims and intricate Mandala patterns. If you are old enough to remember the Maharaja and associate him with the airline, he will make his presence felt on the coffee mugs and other touchpoints inside the cabin.

Luxury trays have been designed to the shape of the Jharokha, or Vista, as it is called now, which mimics another aspect of Air India customers came to love. An Indian tiffin box-shaped salt and pepper cruet set will also turn up on the meal tray, which I suspect many will take home.

If Air India maintains the aircraft well, there is no reason that a premium passenger will be able to find fault with Air India’s equipment anymore.

And at the back, it is still comfortable. Premium Economy will sport 18.5-inch wide seats, calf rests, and a 38-inch seat pitch, making it roomy for a 10-hour flight. Entertainment will be streamed through a 13.3-inch screen, and you can keep your personal electronics charged with the in-seat USB power. A Tumi amenity kit will be provided in Premium Economy. Economy fliers won’t have it bad either.

Entertainment will contain over 2200 hours of programming, which should suffice even for frequent fliers zipping back and forth on the aircraft. In-flight internet will also be provided if you’d like to keep in touch with people and businesses on the ground.

Overall, the glimpse of the new Air India looks promising. It will take a while before most of the airlines look similar to the new AI, but this is a carrier to be proud of in the coming days.

Air India is already operating flights with their first A350-900 on select domestic routes through February 2024.

Ajay Awtaney writes about aviation and passenger experience at LiveFromALounge.com and Tweets at @LiveFromALounge.

The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of NDTV Profit or its editorial team.