From fleet retrofitment and premiumisation to lounge development, digital upgrades and deeper engagement with the travel trade, Puri outlined how Air India is steadily reshaping itself for the future.
By Priyanka Saxena Ray
A visible transformation is now underway
Over the last two and a half to three years, our work was largely focused on internal transformation because the airline required a tremendous amount of rebuilding. Today, that change is no longer confined to the inside. Customers can now see and experience it, and that is why we have begun communicating it more actively through our campaigns.
Our first major campaign, launched in November, spoke about how “the change is in the air.” This was followed by our Premium Economy campaign, and there is more communication happening globally, including in the UK, around the new product that is coming. We felt the time was right to inform customers, partners and the media about what Air India is becoming.
A massive aircraft order is shaping our future
We have placed a firm order for around 600 aircraft. It began with 470 aircraft, followed by an additional 100, and then 30 more were added recently. Of these, 57 aircraft have already been inducted, while 543 are still to be delivered.
This order reflects the scale of our ambition. It is not just about adding capacity; it is about building a modern airline with consistency in product, service and experience across the network.
Narrowbody retrofitment has brought consistency
For us, 2025 was the year of narrowbody transformation. By October 2025, we had completed around 87 per cent of the retrofitment of our narrowbody fleet, which includes the A320 and A321 family. These aircraft now feature a consistent three-cabin configuration with 8 Business Class seats, 24 Premium Economy seats and 132 Economy seats.
This has addressed one of the earlier pain points for customers—aircraft swaps leading to an inconsistent onboard product. Today, a much larger portion of our domestic and short-haul international network, including destinations such as Dubai, Doha, Vietnam and Phuket, is being served by retrofitted or newer aircraft with a uniform configuration.
2026 is the year the widebody story begins
The real widebody transformation begins in 2026. Our legacy Boeing 787 Dreamliners are now entering retrofitment. The first two aircraft have already gone in and are expected to return shortly. By September next year, all 26 legacy Dreamliners will be refitted with brand new seats, interiors and cabin features.
In addition, we have begun receiving our new line-fit aircraft, including the Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350 variants. This calendar year alone, six new widebody aircraft are expected to join the fleet. By the end of 2026, around 50 per cent of our widebody fleet will be in a new avatar. By then, nearly 93 per cent of the flights we operate will offer either a new or retrofitted product.
Premium Economy is a major strategic focus
Premium Economy is a game changer for Air India. All our newly ordered aircraft will have at least a three-cabin layout, and Premium Economy is central to our premiumisation strategy.
We currently offer around 76,000 Premium Economy seats every week, and the response has been extremely encouraging. It provides customers with a significantly better experience at a modest additional cost. Passengers get priority check-in, boarding and baggage, along with more comfort and convenience. For many travellers, this is the sweet spot between Economy and Business Class, and we see enormous opportunity in this segment.
Lounges, digital products and customer feedback are driving change
The transformation is not limited to aircraft. Our new Maharaja Lounge at Delhi Terminal 3 is an important milestone in redefining the pre-flight and transit experience. As a network carrier, we want transit passengers connecting through India to feel that same sense of premium hospitality that they associate with leading global hubs.
We are also expanding and upgrading lounges in other locations, including Bengaluru, Delhi Terminal 2, San Francisco and New York.
Digitally, our app has become one of the highest-rated airline apps globally. We have also introduced BYOD entertainment across our narrowbody fleet, allowing passengers to access over 1,300 hours of content on their own devices.
What is most encouraging, however, is the improvement in our customer feedback scores. On narrowbody aircraft, our Net Promoter Score has moved from minus 19 in December 2023 to 41 in December 2025. On some new widebody routes, the score has crossed 50. These are meaningful indicators of customer confidence.
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