Air India Boeing 787 retrofit introduces upgraded cabins, modern seats and improved onboard experience (Image: Air India)
Air India Boeing 787: Air India on Sunday unveiled its first retrofitted Boeing 787 aircraft. With this, the Tata Group-owned carrier has completed the first upgrade in a planned refurbishment of 26 B787 aircraft. As part of a USD 400 million program to modernise its legacy fleet, the airline will retrofit the remaining 25 B787 aircraft over the next year.
In a statement, Air India said: “As part of the retrofit, the aircraft interiors were completely reconfigured, transforming it from a two-class layout previously to a modern three-class configuration now with the installation of brand-new seats and inflight entertainment (IFE) system, and bringing the aircraft in line with Air India’s latest widebody product standards, as seen on its new bespoke Boeing 787-9 inducted in January 2026.”
Air India B787 retrofit
It further said that upon full completion of the Boeing 787 retrofit program by 2027, the airline aims to significantly enhance its onboard product and passenger experience across more than 300 weekly flights to destinations in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia.
“Air India will subsequently retrofit 13 of its legacy B777-300ER aircraft,” it added.
Air India Boeing 787-8
The first upgrade of the twin-aisle Boeing 787-8 aircraft (registered VT-ANT) took nearly 12,825 man-hours over 45 days to complete. The retrofit involved around 475 metres of fabric for new seats across cabins, 167 metres of synthetic leather, 169 metres of carpeting and 646 litres of paint.
Air India B787 new livery: Features
After the retrofit, the upgraded Boeing 787 aircraft of Air India will now feature:
Business Class
There will be 20 luxurious private suites in Business Class in a 1-2-1 layout.
Each suites will offer privacy sliding doors, direct aisle access, 42-inch of pitch, fully flat 79‑inch bed and 17‑inch 4K QLED HDR touchscreen.
It will also offer multiple charging options, a softly lit cubby, a vanity mirror, a headphone hook and a jaali-inspired feature lamp.
Business Class Cabin (Image: Air India)Private Business Class Suites (Image: Air India)
Premium Economy Class
The aircraft will feature 25 premium Economy seats arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration.
Each seat will offer an enhanced privacy, 38‑inch pitch, 7‑inch recline, 6‑way headrest, calf and leg rest and 13.3‑inch 4K QLED HDR screens.
It will also feature Type A and C fast charging ports, and a bottle holder for added convenience.
Premium Economy Cabin (Image: Air India)
Economy Class
Air India B787 aircraft will have 205 Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 layout.
Each seat will be ergonomically optimised, offering a 31/32-inch pitch, 5-inch recline, an 11.6-inch 4K QLED HDR touchscreen and both Type-A and Type-C charging ports.
Economy Cabin (Image: Air India)
In addition, Air India B787 aircraft’s upgrade across cabins include new carpets and curtains, updated wall laminates, galley overhauls, a complete refresh of all lavatories, replacement or refurbishment of overhead bin panels, installation of a new Cabin Service System and an upgraded Crew Application Panel interface.
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