Completely new cabin interiors styled exclusively for Air India Boeing 787-9 aircraft

Air India has unveiled the custom-styled cabin interiors of its first line-fit (made-for-Air India) Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Bearing registration mark VT-AWA, the new aircraft features completely new cabin interiors, designed especially for Air India and installed directly on Boeing’s production line.

Air India received delivery of the new aircraft on 11 January 2026, arriving in Delhi non-stop from Boeing’s factory in Everett, Washington. The aircraft is entering commercial service on flights between Mumbai and Frankfurt from 1 February 2026.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said: “The arrival of this new Boeing 787-9, the first production widebody from the 470 aircraft-strong order signed three years ago, is a significant moment in Air India’s 5-year Vihaan.AI transformation programme. Though nearly 100 new and leased aircraft have already joined the Air India group’s fleet since privatisation, this is the first to be designed by and for Air India. It underscores Air India’s commitment to delivering a world-class physical product and inflight entertainment experience to complement the warm Indian hospitality already delivered by our crew.”

“The new cabin interiors on this aircraft will soon become the standard across our entire Boeing 787 fleet as, in addition to 19 more production aircraft, all 26 of Air India’s existing Boeing 787-8 aircraft are being retrofitted with the same new cabin interiors and entertainment systems. The retrofit programme is well underway, with the first upgraded aircraft due to return to service in the coming weeks and the remainder of the fleet by mid-2027.”

All-new cabin interiors

Air India’s new Boeing 787-9 aircraft comes with 296 seats distributed between three cabin classes: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. The cabins feature customised versions of the Elevate Ascent seat in Business Class and RECARO PL3530 and CL3710 seats in Premium Economy and Economy Class, respectively. All seats are equipped with Thales’ state-of-the-art AVANT Up inflight entertainment (IFE) system.

The Business Class cabin consists of 30 luxurious suites in a 1-2-1 configuration, offering direct aisle access to every guest. Each suite, featuring a sliding privacy door1, reclines into a fully flat bed of 79 inches in length or a chaise lounge, and offers 42” of pitch, 17-inch 4K QLED HDR touchscreen and IFE handset, Bluetooth headphone pairing, wireless charging and Type A and Type C fast charging ports, height-adjustable armrest, as well as plenty of storage. The suite also features an attractive cubby area that offers storage space with soft lighting inside, a vanity mirror and headphone hook, and a feature lamp designed with Air India’s jaali pattern that is inspired by India’s rich architectural and cultural heritage.

Premium Economy – a dedicated, upscale cabin offering greater privacy – features 28 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, designed for enhanced long-haul comfort. Each seat offers generous legroom with 38-inch pitch and 7-inch recline, 6-way adjustable headrest, individually adjustable calf rest as well as a leg rest, 13.3-inch 4K QLED HDR touchscreen, Type A and Type C fast charging ports, and a bottle holder.

Economy Class features 238 lightweight and ergonomically optimised seats in a 3-3-3 configuration, each offering the standard 31”/32” pitch and 5” recline, an 11.6-inch 4K QLED HDR touchscreen, and Type A and C charging ports. Of the 238 seats in Economy, Air India has made 220 seats available in its booking inventory for flights operated with this new aircraft.

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