With its five-year transformation programme Vihaan.AI now in its third phase, Tata-owned Air India is gearing up for a turnaround that’s more than cosmetic. The mission is clear: make the airline profitable, upgrade customer experience, and build a future-ready fleet.
Speaking to Mint, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson confirmed that the airline is focused on delivering profits in the coming years. “We’ve been very consistent about our aspiration to be profitable. Shareholders now expect it and we’re on track,” he said.
Old Planes, New Interiors
In a major move, Air India has decided to retrofit 13 of its ageing A321 CEO aircraft instead of retiring them. These narrow-body jets will get completely revamped interiors, including upgraded seating and new cabin technology.
That’s not all. Starting July 2025, the airline will begin retrofitting 27 legacy Boeing 787-8 wide-body aircraft. The airline says that 65% of its narrow-body fleet has already been upgraded, and the rest will follow by the end of this calendar year. For wide-body jets, around 35% are modernised so far, with full retrofitting targeted by mid-FY28.
Flying High on Customer Satisfaction
The airline is also focusing sharply on passenger comfort and loyalty. Its Net Promoter Score (NPS), a key indicator of customer satisfaction has jumped by over 45 points in just 18 months. On the newly introduced A350 wide-body aircraft, the NPS is already above 60, significantly better than the legacy fleet.
Lounge upgrades are also underway across major airports. “The new Air India is already visible,” said Wilson. “We ended FY25 with OTP [on-time performance] in the high 70s, which is even better than what Vistara had.”
Air India Negotiations: Massive Expansion in the Pipeline
Air India is also negotiating with Boeing and Airbus to acquire an additional 200 narrow-body aircraft. This is in addition to the historic order of 470 aircraft placed in 2023 the largest aviation deal in global history. The current plan includes a strong focus on wide-body aircraft to bolster long-haul operations.
As of now, the airline has a total fleet of 191 aircraft 64 wide-body and 127 narrow-body planes.
Financial Turnaround in Sight
While the airline hasn’t declared a specific year for turning profitable, Wilson shared positive indicators: cargo tonnage has tripled, overall revenues have doubled, and business class and corporate revenues are on a strong upward trend.
“In cricketing terms, we’re on day four of a five-day Test match,” he remarked, hinting that the most crucial phase of transformation is now underway.
Air India’s Vihaan.AI plan, launched in September 2022, aims to transform the airline into a world-class, customer-centric global carrier. With a blend of infrastructure overhaul and strategic fleet upgrades, the Tata-backed airline seems determined to rewrite its legacy.
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