The retrofitted and new aircraft will be used mainly on busiest routes like San Francisco, New York, Frankfurt and Dubai
Air India, the largest international airline of India and a Tata group enterprise, has announced that it will be retrofitting more than 100 planes, including 40 wide body planes and has ordered around 25,000 aircraft seats as part of revamping the fleet, says Air India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson.
Wilson has been quoted by media as saying that Air India has embarked on a five-year transformation plan, and that there are “plenty of things” going on. Air India’s fleet will be fitted with new seats by mid-2026, he added.
These developments come in the face of Tata Group consolidating its aviation business, AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, is getting merged with Air India Express and Vistara with Air India.
Campbell Wilson
Air India’s CEO said that the retrofitted and new aircraft will be used mainly on busiest routes like San Francisco, New York, Frankfurt and Dubai. About costs for the airline industry, Wilson said airfares have been underperforming overall inflation.
The new Air India is not the old Air India, and “we will be dancing when we are ready to dance”, Wilson said while talking about changes and possible partnerships.
On bilateral rights, the Air India Chief said there should be a pragmatic approach. In the context of giving more bilateral flying rights, he said, adding that “if the rug is pulled from under us, if we can’t fill the aircraft, we will not take them’’.
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