Air India proudly welcomed India’s inaugural Airbus A350-900 aircraft at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The aircraft, registered as VT-JRA, arrived from Airbus’s Toulouse facility. Captain Monika Batra Vaidya, one of the first Indian pilots trained on the A350, was aboard as an observer.
This milestone signifies Air India’s leadership in revitalising Indian aviation, marking the first introduction of a new widebody fleet in over a decade and positioning them as the country’s first airline to operate the A350.
Campbell Wilson, Air India’s CEO, hailed this as a pivotal moment, emphasising the A350’s embodiment of the airline’s transformation and commitment to setting new standards. The aircraft promises top-tier long-haul travel experiences and boasts exceptional flight economics and cutting-edge technology, aligning with Air India’s sustainability goals.
Commercial operations for Air India’s A350 will commence in January 2024, initially for crew training domestically and later for longer-haul flights worldwide. The aircraft features a three-class cabin layout with 316 seats by Collins Aerospace, including private Business Class suites, Premium Economy, and spacious Economy seats. All seats incorporate Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment systems with HD screens.
This A350 is the first of Air India’s 20 ordered aircraft, with five more expected to be delivered by March 2024. Details about its commercial flight schedule will be announced soon.