Air India Takes Delivery of Third New Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with Upgraded Cabins
MUMBAI — Air India took delivery of its third factory-fresh, line-fit Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on Friday, marking another step in the airline's multi-billion-dollar transformation program.
The aircraft, registered as VT-AWC, arrived at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after completing a grueling 17-hour and 14-minute non-stop ferry flight directly from Boeing's manufacturing facility in Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
This latest addition is a key component of the Tata Group-owned carrier's Vihaan.AI transformation initiative. Unlike Air India's older, legacy widebody fleet, these line-fit models come directly from the Boeing assembly line, fully equipped with the airline's completely redesigned signature cabin interiors.
The twin-engine widebody aircraft introduces a highly competitive 296-seat, three-class configuration aimed squarely at recovering market share on premium long-haul sectors.
The Business Class cabin features 30 suites arranged in a passenger-preferred 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone configuration, guaranteeing direct aisle access for every traveler. The customized elevated ascent seating converts into a fully flat 79-inch bed or a relaxed chaise lounge configuration.
The Premium Economy section offers 28 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration with a 38-inch seat pitch, a 7-inch recline, a 6-way adjustable headrest, and independently deployable calf and footrests. Similarly, the Economy Class cabin offers 238 lightweight, ergonomically optimized seats utilizing a standard 3-3-3 cross-section layout.
A critical element of Air India’s product upgrade is the fleet-wide installation of the state-of-the-art Thales AVANT Up inflight entertainment system. Every seat on VT-AWC features high-definition 4K QLED HDR touchscreens that support Bluetooth audio pairing with personal wireless headphones.
For years, Air India's primary bottleneck on international routes was its legacy product, which fell short of global premium standards. The delivery of VT-AWC represents a steady cadence of line-fit aircraft entering the network to resolve these historical product challenges.
