Air India to upgrade fleet to win back disgruntled flyers

AIR INDIA LONG languished under government ownership while cash-rich Middle Eastern rivals siphoned off travellers. Now, the airline is trying to even the score with cheaper fares, fresh cabins and lounges as well as shorter layover times.

- MIHIR MISHRA

The multi-year turnaround programme will initially focus on the airline's 27 Boeing Co. 787-8 Dreamliners that are more than 10 years old in some cases, with Air India seeking to complete a refit in early 2027. A second stage, involving older Boeing 777 widebodies, will start late next year, though that step is proving more complex because of issues with seat suppliers, chief executive officer Campbell Wilson said.

"Consistency makes an airline good," Wilson said in an interview. "There should be a consistency in product quality, crew service, punctuality, and experience at airports and in aircraft. We are working on all of those."