By year‑end, Air India will have at least 20 widebody aircraft serving Europe, East Asia, Australia, and beyond, CEO & Managing Director Campbell Wilson said.
National flag carrier Air India will be expanding its international operations with 20 widebody aircraft towards the end of this year, Campbell Wilson, CEO & Managing Director, has said. Speaking to the media after unveiling the first line‑fit 787‑9 aircraft at Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport on Tuesday, a day ahead of the Wings India air show, Wilson promised that 2026 will be a defining year for the airline.
“We have the first of these line‑fit 787 Dreamliners arriving, with three more coming in 2026. Towards the end of the year, two A350‑1000s will join the fleet, and we will begin taking delivery of retrofitted legacy 787‑8s. By year‑end, at least 20 widebody aircraft will be operating to Europe, East Asia, Australia, and beyond.”
He asserted that the newly inducted aircraft will feature interiors identical to the 787‑9, with world‑class seats, entertainment, food, and service. This “first to be designed by and for Air India” aircraft will commence operations on the Mumbai–Frankfurt route from February 1.
Beginning 2022, the Gurugram‑headquartered airline has placed orders for around 570 aircraft to date, including 250 from Airbus and 320 from Boeing. Typically, it takes three to four years from order to delivery for narrowbody aircraft and five to six years for widebody aircraft. The COVID‑19 pandemic, sanctions linked to Russia’s military action in Ukraine, and a sudden surge in global aircraft demand have further disrupted supply chains, extending delivery timelines.
“This [787‑9 aircraft] marks a huge transformation of our long‑haul wide‑body fleet, while the domestic fleet has already been nearly fully upgraded. It means a better product, larger business‑class cabins for corporate traffic, and appeals to a wider customer base. Seats, entertainment, and service will match any world‑class airline, with Indian hospitality layered on top, the secret sauce that makes Air India something India can be proud of,” Wilson said.
Since 2022, Air India has also launched its Vihaan.AI transformation programme to reclaim market share and triple its fleet size over five years. It is especially looking to regain its position as India’s preferred international carrier. The year gone by saw turbulence after one of its B777 aircraft—ordered before the airline’s return to the Tata Group—operating an Ahmedabad-London flight suffered a crash shortly after takeoff. Meanwhile, rival IndiGo overtook Air India in terms of international destinations served, driven by its rapid fleet expansion and aggressive route strategy.
– Manish Pant