Air India set to induct first of long-haul A350s today

Airbus A350-900 aircraft expected to provide AI competitive edge in the long-haul segment

- Anu Sharma

Tata Group-backed Air India is set to induct the first of the 470 aircraft it had ordered, with the Airbus A350 expected to arrive at Delhi airport Saturday morning, people aware of the development told Mint. 

Air India received regulatory approvals for engineering line maintenance of the A350 aircraft from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation earlier this month. 

“The aircraft will be put into commercial domestic flight operations for metro-to-metro connectivity by the end of January as it will take at least 3-4 weeks since its arrival in India to complete extensive checks and approvals," an Air India official said. 

The A350-900 will be able to offer 16-17 hours of non-stop flight time, with a maximum range of up to 20 hours, according to its manufacturer, Airbus. For Air India, the aircraft is expected to provide a competitive edge in the long-haul segment from India. 

The A350-900 is among 70 wide-body aircraft ordered by Air India. According to Airbus, it burns 25% less fuel than the older generation of the aircraft.