NEW DELHI: Air India’s first modified Boeing 787-8, with registration VT-ANT, touched down in Delhi at 10.43 pm. Its B787 aircraft operate in the US, UK, Europe and the Far East.
The updated twin-aisle aircraft, the first of 26 B787 aircraft to be refurbished, has been modernized from nose to tail, the airline said.
“The aircraft, which received extensive interior upgrades at the Boeing 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.
He added: “After obtaining the necessary certificates and regulatory permits, the plane made a non-stop ferry flight from San Bernardino to Delhi, flew over the Pacific Ocean and landed at 10.39 pm today.”
Air India has announced updates to its $400 million fleet modernization program aimed at transforming the debt-laden airline into a world-class flying experience and enhancing operational reliability across its aging fleet.
The airline began a widebody modernization program for its aging B787-8 aircraft with the transfer of VT-ANT to Boeing’s facility in Victorville, California, in July last year. It currently has another 787-8 at that facility in the United States.
The VT-ANT was first announced to arrive in India by October 2025, but was later 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
Air India’s B787-8 retrofit programme, which is now on a firm 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 every cabin, advanced inflight entertainment (IFE) systems, new carpets, curtains, upholstery, toilets, galleys and more – all in line with Air India’s new product and customer experience standards.
From early 2027, Air India said it will also modernize 13 of its older Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with the aim of completing them by October 2028, with the timeline changing due to supply chain delays.
