Air India’s A350 Takes Off on Delhi-London Long-Haul Debut

3 weeks ago Editor

Air India’s A350 aircraft makes its long-haul debut on the Delhi-London route, marking a key milestone in the airline’s fleet modernization and service enhancement strategy.

Air India has introduced its latest wide-body flagship, the Airbus A350, on the Delhi-London Heathrow route, marking the aircraft’s first long-haul deployment. This milestone comes as part of Air India’s expansive fleet renewal, which began with the airline receiving the A350 in December as part of a massive order of 470 Airbus and Boeing planes. Six of the 40 A350 aircraft ordered by Air India in 2023 have already joined its fleet.

The A350, which embodies Air India’s new brand identity and upgraded in-flight experience, was initially used for domestic flights and short international routes such as Delhi-Dubai. These preliminary operations set the stage for the aircraft’s transition to long-haul routes, where its extensive range will enable the carrier to reach most of its global destinations.

The A350-900, in a standard three-class configuration, can accommodate 300-350 passengers and has a flight range exceeding 15,000 kilometers. Air India’s A350-900s are equipped with 316 seats across three cabin classes: 28 in business, 24 in premium economy, and 264 in economy.

“The deployment of the flagship A350s on the Delhi-London Heathrow route marks a significant milestone for Air India,” stated Air India’s CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson. “It underscores our commitment to elevating the travel experience to world-class standards as we continue to expand and modernize our fleet.”

Beginning this month, Air India’s A350-900 aircraft will replace the Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on 14 of the 17 weekly flights from Delhi to London Heathrow. This change adds an additional 336 seats to the route each week. With this deployment, 90% of Air India’s flights to London Heathrow will feature the upgraded A350.

The A350 flights will include enhanced in-flight products introduced earlier this year, such as new chinaware, tableware, glassware, bedding, and updated amenity kits for Business and Premium Economy passengers. The aircraft also offers a premium economy cabin, complementing Air India’s existing business and economy classes.

Air India’s current fleet includes many older aircraft inherited from its time under government ownership, with some planes in need of modernization due to financial constraints before the Tata group’s acquisition in January 2022. The airline’s substantial order for 470 new planes is crucial not only for expanding its capacity and network but also for providing a world-class flying experience.

Interestingly, the six A350s delivered to Air India so far were originally destined for Russian carrier Aeroflot but were redirected to Air India due to Western sanctions against Moscow following the war in Ukraine.