Air India has completed the first refurbished cabin as part of its ongoing program to upgrade 26 Boeing 787 aircraft across its fleet. The first aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 registered VT-ANT, has been fully converted from a two-class layout to a three-class configuration aligned with the airline’s newer widebody cabin standard, similar to its latest Boeing 787-9 introduced in early 2026.
The retrofit work was carried out at Boeing’s modification facility in Victorville, California, and took approximately 12,825 labor hours over 45 days. The process included removal of the existing interior, reconfiguration of cabin layout, installation of new seating across all classes, updated carpets and wall panels, galley and lavatory upgrades, and installation of Thales Avant Up in-flight entertainment systems.
The materials used in the refurbishment included hundreds of meters of fabric, synthetic leather, and carpet as part of the full cabin redesign.
Cabin configuration after retrofit
The updated aircraft now features:
20 business class suites in a 1-2-1 layout
25 premium economy seats in a 2-3-2 layout
205 economy class seats in a 3-3-3 layout
The business class suites include sliding privacy doors, direct aisle access, fully flat beds, and large 4K entertainment screens along with multiple charging options and upgraded design elements.
Premium economy seats offer increased pitch, improved recline, leg and calf rests, and 4K seatback screens with fast charging ports.
Economy class seats include standard recline, updated pitch spacing, and 4K entertainment screens across the cabin.
Air India plans to retrofit 25 additional Boeing 787 aircraft over the next year as part of a broader $400 million modernization effort. The goal is to upgrade long-haul service across hundreds of weekly flights to destinations in Europe, the UK, and Australia.
The airline also plans to extend similar upgrades to 13 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft following completion of the 787 program, with full retrofit completion targeted by 2027.
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