Air India's upgraded Boeing Dreamliner returns: What has changed?
14 Apr 2026

Air India's first retrofitted Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, VT-ANT, has returned to India after a nine-month refurbishment process in California.

The aircraft is the first of a total of 26 planes that will be refurbished and repainted as part of a $400 million fleet upgrade program.

This is also the first wide-body aircraft in Air India's fleet to undergo such a retrofit.

Fleet challenges since privatization
Operational hurdles

Since its privatization in 2022, Air India has struggled with global supply chain issues and an outdated fleet.

The airline has been adding available aircraft, including those from Delta Air Lines and Etihad Airways, to tackle these challenges.

These newer planes are in better condition than the older ones in Air India's fleet.

New 3-class configuration for the aircraft
Upgrade specifics

The retrofit program gives the aircraft a completely new interior with a three-class configuration: Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy.

The legacy 787-8 configuration had 18 Business Class seats and 256 Economy seats.

However, the updated aircraft has more Business Class (20) and Premium Economy (25) seats but fewer overall seats (250).

Planned operations of the retrofitted aircraft
Deployment strategy

Air India plans to operate the retrofitted 787-8 on the Delhi-London Heathrow route daily from May 1, 2026.

The airline currently operates 24 weekly flights on this route, with a mix of Airbus A350 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

The introduction of the retrofitted plane will ease pressure on the A350 fleet, which also serves long-haul North American routes.

Retrofit delays and their impact on Air India
Retrofit schedule

Air India had sent this plane for refurbishment in July last year, expecting it to return by December 2025. However, the return has been delayed by some 3.5 months.

The airline aims to retrofit all 26 aircraft by mid-2027, with the pace possibly picking up after the first one.

However, delays were also seen in its A320 retrofit program which was completed in October 2025.