Air India widebody fleet upgrade delayed once more, likely to be done by October 2028 | India News

NEW DELHI: Air India’s upgrade of its legacy widebody fleet has been delayed once more. The airline now hopes to full the duty by October 2028, a couple of 12 months longer than the five-year plan introduced earlier. Supply chain constraints since Covid have delayed Tata’s $400 million fleet retrofit programme for “delivering a world class flying experience and enhancing operational reliability across its legacy fleet”.The airline mentioned it had lastly began the upgrade programme for its legacy widebody fleet with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The work is now anticipated to end by October 2028, “with the timeline having shifted due to supply chain delays”.In its previous couple of cash-starved state-owned years, Air India had no funds for cabin upkeep or repairs, and poor in-flight expertise on these planes stays among the many largest irritants for passengers on long-haul routes on which these plane are deployed.“Air India has commenced the widebody retrofit programme for its legacy B787-8 aircraft, with the first of 26 aircraft (VT-ANT) having flown to a Boeing facility in Victorville, California, in July. A second aircraft is scheduled to depart for the same facility in Oct, with both expected to return to service in December. Retrofit programme for Air India’s B787-8s, now on a steady schedule for completion by mid-2027, will introduce brand-new interiors featuring a three-class configuration,” the airline mentioned in a press release.Starting early 2027, the airline will moreover retrofit 13 of its legacy Boeing 777-300ER plane, aiming for completion by Oct 2028, with the timeline having shifted due to provide chain delays.As a part of a reliability enhancement programme, Air India mentioned it might upgrade the avionics and different important parts of the 26 legacy B787-8 plane. “This is intended to reduce operational disruptions.” Additionally, seven of the 26 B787-8s will endure heavy, scheduled upkeep (D-checks) in Victorville. The airline mentioned the retrofit programme for 27 legacy narrowbody A320neo plane commenced final Sept. It is “progressing per schedule”.