Air India has unveiled its first retrofitted Boeing 787-8 (VT-ANT), marking the completion of a comprehensive nose-to-tail cabin upgrade of the first aircraft in its 26-plane B787 fleet.
The retrofit was carried out at Boeing’s Modification Center in Victorville, California, followed by repainting in the airline’s new livery at AeroPro in San Bernardino. The aircraft now reflects Air India’s evolving brand identity and upgraded onboard product standards.
As part of the retrofit, the aircraft interiors were completely reconfigured, transforming it from a two-class layout previously to a modern three-class configuration now with the installation of brand-new seats and inflight entertainment (IFE) system, and bringing the aircraft in line with Air India’s latest widebody product standards, as seen on its new bespoke Boeing 787-9 inducted in January 2026.
The first B787 took close to 12,825 manhours over 45 days for the retrofit, as teams progressed through a tightly choreographed workflow – from stripping out the legacy interiors to reconfiguring the cabins, installing new seats, carpets, wall laminates, overhauling galleys, lavatories, and rigorously testing the new seating and cabin components.
The refurbishment also incorporated 475 metres of seat fabric, 167 metres of synthetic leather, 169 metres of carpet and 646 litres of paint. Additionally, a 20-member team spent over 5,700 hours across 18 days repainting the aircraft exterior.
The reconfigured cabins now include 20 Business Class suites in a 1-2-1 layout with sliding privacy doors, fully flat beds and 4K QLED screens; 25 Premium Economy seats with enhanced recline and leg support; and 205 ergonomically designed Economy seats equipped with personal screens and charging ports. All cabins are fitted with Thales AVANT Up inflight entertainment systems.
Further enhancements include new carpets and curtains, refreshed lavatories, updated overhead panels, and installation of a new Cabin Service System and Crew Application Panel interface. The aircraft features customised versions of the Elevate Ascent seat in Business Class and RECARO PL3530 and CL3710 seats in Premium Economy and Economy Class, respectively. All seats are equipped with Thales’ state-of-the-art AVANT Up inflight entertainment (IFE) system.
Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said, “This is a yet another proud milestone in our transformation journey as we welcome this transformed legacy B787 aircraft as a shining beacon of the new Air India. The retrofit of our first widebody aircraft is a visible symbol of the momentum behind Air India’s transformation. With 25 other 787s undergoing this comprehensive refresh, we are rapidly modernising the backbone of our long-haul fleet and raising the bar for customers flying between India and the world.”
Air India will be retrofitting 25 additional B787 aircraft over the next year, two of which are already undergoing the process, as part of a US$400 million investment to modernise the airline’s legacy fleet. The B787 retrofit programme has been jointly conceptualised and executed with Boeing, ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety in the aircraft and throughout the process.
Upon full completion of the B787 retrofit program by 2027, Air India aims to significantly upgrade the onboard product and passenger experience on over 300 flights per week to destinations across the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia. Air India will subsequently retrofit 13 of its legacy B777-300ER aircraft.
