Air India refits 27 Dreamliners and cut Australia–Europe stops to 3 hours (interview)
In a Bloomberg interview, CEO Campbell Wilson laid out the cabin-refit programme meant to make the Tata carrier consistent enough to challenge Gulf rivals.
What was changed
In a Bloomberg interview reported by The Economic Times, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson described a multi-year product turnaround for the Tata Group-owned carrier: a full refit of its 27 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners — in some cases more than 10 years old — to be completed by early 2027, followed by a second stage covering older Boeing 777 widebodies starting late next year, though that step is proving more complex because of seat-supplier issues. 'Consistency makes an airline good,' Wilson said.
The deep refresh means changing all lavatories, interior panels, carpets and curtains, and improving existing seats and in-flight entertainment wherever possible — against interiors Wilson himself described as 'a mishmash of older and newer materials', with 'some cases that we have not done as well as we could.' Around the refit sit cheaper fares, new lounges, more skilled ground employees and faster connection timings at the New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru hubs.
The connectivity push already shows numbers: an Australia–Europe stopover in India is down to 180 minutes from as long as 10 hours, and transit passengers have risen to a high single-digit share from practically nothing, Wilson said. The group also placed a massive Airbus and Boeing order two years ago, operates two brands — full-service Air India and Air India Express — and is working with authorities to let passengers starting at domestic-only airports clear immigration before reaching the international hubs.
Why it worked
Cabin interiors were a mix of old and new materials and traveller reviews on social media flagged messy seats and unappetising catering — a reputational drag on the rebuilt brand.
Long layovers made India an implausible transit choice; stopovers of up to 10 hours ceded Australia–Europe traffic to Gulf carriers.
The 787-8s, some more than a decade old, anchor the international network, so refitting them lifts product quality across the widebody fleet fastest.
IndiGo has ordered A350s arriving from 2027 and A321XLRs this year, putting India's largest airline on Air India's international routes and shrinking the window to establish a premium product.
What can be applied
Consistency is the product. An airline rebuilds trust not with one flagship cabin but by making the 300th aircraft, the 8am departure and the transit desk all match the promise.
Aftermath
The 787-8 refit is due for completion in early 2027; the Boeing 777 stage starts late 2026, subject to seat-supplier constraints. Wilson cautioned that supply-chain snags will remain for several years and 'these things can't be turned around overnight.' His stated ambition is to challenge Emirates in carrying India's international passenger traffic.