New Delhi: Air India’s first retrofitted Boeing 787-8, with registration VT-ANT, arrived in Delhi at 10.43 pm. Its B787 aircraft fly to the US, UK, Europe and the Far East.
The retrofitted twin-aisle aircraft, the first of 26 B787s to be refurbished, has been refreshed from nose to tail, the airline said.
“The aircraft, which received extensive interior upgrades at Boeing’s modification center in Victorville, California, was later painted in Air India’s stunning new livery at AeroPro, an FAA Part-145 certified aircraft paint facility in San Bernardino, California,” an airline official said.
“Following the necessary regulatory certifications and clearances, the aircraft operated a non-stop ferry flight from San Bernardino to Delhi, flying over the Pacific Ocean and landing at 10.39 pm tonight,” he said.
Air India had announced an update on its US$400 million fleet retrofit program aimed at transforming the debt-laden airline into a world-class flight experience and enhancing operational reliability of its aging fleet.
The airline began the widebody retrofit program for its older B787-8 aircraft, with VT-ANT flying to the Boeing facility in Victorville, California, last July. It currently has another 787-8 in that facility in the US.
VT-ANT was earlier announced to arrive in India by October 2025, but it was delayed to December last year due to supply chain issues.
Air India has 26 B787-8 and eight B787-9 aircraft in its fleet.
Features in retrofit
The retrofit program for Air India’s B787-8s, which is now on a steady schedule for completion by mid-2027, aims to introduce brand-new interiors featuring a three-class configuration with business class, premium economy and economy class seats.
This includes the installation of brand new seats in each cabin, advanced inflight entertainment (IFE) systems, new carpets, curtains, upholstery, lavatories, galleys and much more – all in line with the new Air India product and customer experience standards.
In early 2027, Air India said it would retrofit an additional 13 of its older Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, aiming for completion by October 2028, with the timeline changed due to supply chain delays.
