Air India’s Boeing 787 Challenge

Air India is facing aircraft shortages, driven by the 787 and is now making changes to its international network.

The Indian flag-carrier will suspend flying between New Delhi and Washington D.C. from September, meaning no Indian carrier will serve the two cities moving forward.

A decision to axe the service can be driven by many things, but is primarily led by the knock-on effect of an ongoing retrofit programme with the Boeing 787.

Air India is currently reconfiguring 26 of its legacy 787-8 aircraft, with work having just commenced and expected to continue for at least the following year.

As a result, the airline will be short on available capacity until the end of next year and will force changes to the network because of aircraft availability constraints.

While the carrier will offer no nonstop service, it’s not abandoning its U.S flying. It notes that thanks to partner carriers, there’ll be onward connectivity options from one of its existing destinations into a city in the United States.

However, away from aircraft, Air India also points towards the closure of airspace over Pakistan, which is impacting its ability to offer long-haul operations as intended.

The suspension also comes at a time when rising tensions between the United States and India continue following an administration change in the U.S. and the persistent threat of associated tariffs.

A Fresh Look For Air India 787s

Part of the challenge surrounding the usage of the Boeing 787 follows the advancement of a US$400 million fleet retrofit programme.

The aim is to deliver a world-class passenger experience to the flag-carrier customer base and elevate its overall image across the industry, which has been damaged in recent times.

As part of this endeavour, the first of 26 Boeing 787-8, registered as VT-ANT, flew to Victorville in California for works to commence on a complete interior overhaul.

The company confirmed that a second jet will also head to California in October 2025 for works, with the goal that the first two aircraft to undergo these overhauls will re-enter service by the end of the year if schedules hold.

The upgrades will involve a three-class layout with all-new seats across Business, Premium Economy and Economy. Customers will be able to find upgraded seats that reflect more modern tones and features found in competitors, while also seeing other improvements inside the jet.

Air India says priorities will include refreshing the in-flight entertainment alongside essential cabin elements that contribute to the overall cabin experience, including new lavatories, galleys, and curtains, alongside further changes.

The hope as part of this retrofit would be to see it come to a close by mid-2027, thus looking at a two-year process from start to finish if there are no hiccups.

While a significant moment for the airline and part of the many investments taking shape to try to turn around the business, it does present challenges in maintaining its international network with less capacity available in the coming years.