Air India (AI, Delhi International) aims to increase its widebody fleet numbers by 30% this fiscal year, with deliveries of six A350-900s, five leased B777-200LRs, and nine leased B777-300ERs by March 31, 2024, according to an internal memo written by CEO Campbell Wilson and obtained by Indian news outlets.
Three of those B777-300(ER)s are coming from Singapore Airlines (SQ, Singapore Changi), which parked the planes in 2021. Air India also recently received a letter of type acceptance for the A350 from India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). "The DGCA letter paves the way for us to initiate various activities related to the induction of this aircraft, the first of which is now only a few months away," reads the memo. The ch-aviation fleets module shows Air India has thirty-four A350-1000s and six A350-900s on order. There are reports that four of the six A350-900s to be delivered first are msn 554, 558, 585, and 589. Airbus had originally marked those A350-900s for Aeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo), but they became undeliverable due to sanctions. All four are in storage at Toulouse Blagnac.
Now under the ownership of Tata Sons, Air India is embarking on a massive fleet upgrade program, retiring its older aircraft and replacing them with newer, more fuel-efficient types fitted out with contemporary cabins. Wilson says by the end of this financial year, approximately one-third of Air India's widebody fleet will feature updated cabin interiors, including new seats and improved IFE. Wilson says in addition to acquiring new aircraft, Air India is spending USD400 million updating the interiors of existing aircraft.
Air India's current widebody fleet includes seven B777-200LRs, thirteen B777-300ERs, and twenty-seven B787-8s. A narrowbody fleet of twenty A319-100s, nine A320-200s, twenty-seven A320-200Ns, fourteen A321-200s, and four A321-200NX takes the total current fleet tally to 121 aircraft. In addition, Air India has 538 aircraft on order at both Boeing and Airbus. Besides the outstanding A350s, the carrier also expects ten B777-9s and twenty-four B787-9s to further boost its widebody operations and furnish the airline with what Wilson calls a more "premium feel."
Separately, Air India signed off on a February 2023 order for more than 800 CFM International LEAP engines to power future A320/A321 family type and B737 MAX aircraft on order. On July 20, Air India finalised the engine order. The carrier also signed a multi-year MRO agreement with CFM International to cover the servicing of those engines.
