Air India begins widebody aircraft upgrades, speeds retrofits programme of narrowbody fleet

Air India on Sunday announced that the airline has commenced the widebody retrofit programme for its legacy Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

The first of 26 aircraft (VT-ANT) was flown to a Boeing facility in Victorville, California (United States) in July 2025, the airline said in a statement to announce the updates on its USD 400 million fleet retrofit programme.

A second aircraft is scheduled to depart for the same facility in October 2025, with both expected to return to service in December 2025.


Seven of the stated 26 aircraft will undergo heavy, scheduled maintenance (D-checks) at Victorville, ensuring the fleet’s long-term operational excellence.

The retrofit programme for 26 Air India’s B787-8s is scheduled for completion by mid-2027. With this upgrade, the airline plans to introduce brand-new interiors featuring a three-class configuration with Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy Class seats.

The retrofit programme also includes the installation of brand-new seats in each cabin, advanced in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems, new carpeting, curtains, upholstery, lavatories, galleys and more.

This plan falls under Air India's Reliability Enhancement Programme for its 26 legacy B787-8 aircraft to meet the latest industry standards.

"The programme entails the analysis of maintenance and configuration records for these aircraft, followed by the implementation of recommended modifications based on Boeing’s service information bulletins. This is intended to reduce operational disruptions for both, Air India and its customers," the airline said in a statement.

The airline's legacy A320neo fleet of 27 aircraft is undergoing retrofit in phases under its narrowbody retrofit programme that commenced last September and is scheduled for completion in September 2025.

"To date, 16 A320neo aircraft have been retrofitted, with the 15th aircraft having returned to service on 9 August 2025, and the 16th aircraft scheduled to return to service on 11 August 2025," the airline said.

The remaining 11 A320neo will be retrofitted by September 2025.

The airline has already deployed the upgraded A320neo aircraft on key domestic and short-haul international routes to enhance passenger experience.

In early 2027, Air India has planned to retrofit an additional 13 of its legacy Boeing 777-300ER fleet, which is aimed to be completed by October 2028.