Air India has announced its flagship A350-900 aircraft will operate on Delhi-New York JFK flights from November 1, 2024, and Delhi-Newark flights from January 2, 2025, thus transforming its passenger experience on these strategically important routes.
The A350 deployment will introduce Air India’s Premium Economy class experience for the first time on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes. It will offer guests the choice of 24 wide seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration in a dedicated, upscale cabin that offers extra legroom and other enhancements.
Air India’s A350 aircraft feature 28 private suites in Business class with full-flat beds in a 1-2-1 configuration, and 264 spacious Economy seats arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration. Each suite in Business provides direct aisle access, sliding privacy doors, and a personal wardrobe.
All seats across cabins on the A350 come with the latest-generation Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment (IFE) system and HD screens that offer more than 2,200 hours of entertainment content from around the world.
The A350 flights will also feature the airline’s new signature soft products and award-winning guest enhancements unveiled earlier this year. These include new chinaware, new tableware and glassware, new bedding, and updated amenity kits for Business and Premium Economy guests, exclusively designed by Ferragamo and TUMI, respectively.
Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said: “We are encouraged by the positive guest feedback we have received from the domestic deployment of our A350s to offer our hero product on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes. This is a significant leap forward for our U.S. operations that also underscores our commitment to continuous improvement.”
“The new seats, new inflight entertainment systems, and new soft products will together provide our guests with great comfort and service that are representative of the new Air India. We believe this enhanced offering will solidify Air India’s position as a leading carrier and attract travellers seeking a world-class flying experience between India and the United States.”
With deployment of the A350, 60% of all Air India flights to the U.S. will feature new or upgraded cabin interiors. Over the last few months, Air India has been progressively replacing its legacy aircraft with newer ones on other U.S. routes, as part of its continued effort to offer guests a significantly improved flying experience. These aircraft feature upgraded seats and inflight entertainment systems.
The airline now operates its three class-configured Boeing 777-200LR on all non-stop flights between India (Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru) and San Francisco with upgraded cabin interiors, except a
3x weekly Delhi-San Francisco service. Each of these aircraft features 28 private suites with full-flat beds in Business, 48 wide seats in Premium Economy with extra legroom, and 212 seats in Economy as well as updated IFE systems. This allows Air India to consistently offer Premium Economy options to travellers taking non-stop flights to/from San Francisco.
Air India also operates a three class-configured Boeing 777-300ER on all flights from Mumbai to New York JFK and Newark, featuring 8 luxurious First-class suites, 40 full-flat beds in Business, 280 seats in Economy, and updated IFE systems. The A350 seats on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes are now available for reservation on Air India’s website and mobile app or via travel agents.
