eptember 2025, citing a mix of operational components as it really works to keep up the reliability of its general route community.
The choice comes because the airline begins an in depth retrofit programme for 26 Boeing 787-8 plane, which began final month. The mission, aimed toward upgrading cabin merchandise and enhancing passenger expertise, will see a number of plane out of service at any given time till no less than the tip of 2026. The continued closure of Pakistani airspace has additionally added to the problem, forcing longer routings on sure long-haul operations and rising operational complexity.
Passengers booked to journey to or from Washington, D.C., after the suspension date can be contacted by Air India to rearrange various journey, together with rebooking on different companies or full refunds.
Regardless of the suspension, Air India clients will nonetheless have the ability to attain the U.S. capital by way of one-stop connections by way of New York JFK, Newark, Chicago, and San Francisco, utilizing interline companions Alaska Airways, United Airways, and Delta Air Strains. These preparations will permit passengers to journey on a single itinerary with through-checked baggage.
Air India has bought six Boeing 777-300 ER planes beforehand leased from Etihad Airways, marking its first wide-body plane acquisition in over seven years. This transfer goals to bolster capability amid provide chain challenges and refurbishment delays affecting its current fleet. The acquisition, executed by way of AI Fleet Providers Ltd, helps Air India’s bold five-year transformation plan and community growth.
The provider will proceed to function continuous flights from India to 6 North American locations, together with Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.Air India has commenced the widebody retrofit programme for its legacy B787-8 plane, with the primary of 26 plane (VT-ANT) having flown to a Boeing facility in Victorville, California (United States) in July 2025. A second plane is scheduled to depart for a similar facility in October 2025, with each anticipated to return to service in December 2025.
The retrofit programme for Air India’s B787-8s, now on a gradual schedule for completion by mid-2027, will introduce brand-new interiors that includes a three-class configuration with Enterprise Class, Premium Economic system, and Economic system Class seats.
Beginning in early 2027, Air India will moreover retrofit 13 of its legacy Boeing 777-300ER plane, aiming for completion by October 2028, with the timeline having shifted on account of provide chain delays.
