Air India’s refurbishment plan deadline delayed again to 2028

The refurbishment of Air India’s long haul fleet has been significantly delayed and will be completed by the end of 2028- a year later after the five year transformation plan that the Tata group had announced earlier, the airline said on Sunday.

A Boeing 787 aircraft, the first of the 39 aircraft has been sent to a facility in California last month. The aircraft is expected to return to service in December instead of October as previously announced.

Cabin upgrade is a crucial part of the five year transformation program that the group had announced in 2022, to convert the debt-laden airline into a world class airline.


However, the program has been delayed multiple times due to supply chain problems as seat manufactures have been strained due to delayed certification from regulators compounded by a manpower shortage after the pandemic.

The refurbishment of the 25 787 aircraft will be completed by mid-2027. Part of Air India's ambitious $400 million programme, the retrofits for the 787 fleet were originally scheduled to begin in the second half of 2024 but have faced delays due to supply chain bottlenecks and issues with seat suppliers. The timeline to begin the programme has been revised twice — first to April and then to June.

The work on the Boeing 777 fleet will start in 2027.

Additionally, the airline will upgrade avionics and other critical components of the 26 legacy B787-8s to improve reliability. This involves analysing maintenance and configuration records and implementing modifications recommended by Boeing’s service bulletins.

Air India’s engineering and safety practices have come under regulatory scrutiny following the crash of a Boeing 787 aircraft in June killing 241 on board and 19 on the ground.

The airline has been put on notice by civil aviation regulator DGCA for operating aircraft fitted with components that were beyond their permitted life.

The retrofitting programme for its 27 legacy Airbus A320neo aircraft, which began in September 2024, is “progressing as scheduled” with completion due in September 2025.