FARNBOROUGH- Tata-owned Air India (AI) unveils plans to deploy its flagship A350-900 aircraft on key US routes.
The airline will launch A350 service on Delhi (DEL)-New York (JFK) flights from November 1, 2024, and Delhi-Newark (EWR) flights from January 2, 2025.
Air India A350 US Flights
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson cites positive feedback from domestic A350 flights as motivation for this expansion.
The CEO emphasizes the significant upgrade in Air India’s U.S. operations. He highlights new seats, entertainment systems, and soft products as key improvements. Wilson believes these enhancements will strengthen Air India’s position and attract travelers seeking premium service between India and the United States.
The airline has been progressively upgrading its fleet on U.S. routes to improve passenger experience. These upgrades include better seats and modern inflight entertainment systems across various aircraft types.
The Airbus A350 introduces Premium Economy class on these routes, offering 24 wide seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. This new cabin provides extra legroom and enhanced amenities.
Further, Business class features 28 private suites with full-flat beds, direct aisle access, sliding privacy doors, and personal wardrobes. Economy class offers 264 spacious seats in a 3-4-3 layout.
All seats include the latest Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system with HD screens, providing over 2,200 hours of global content. The A350 flights will showcase Air India’s new signature products, including updated chinaware, tableware, bedding, and amenity kits.
Business and Premium Economy passengers receive exclusive amenity kits designed by Ferragamo and TUMI, respectively. Further, these upgrades aim to elevate Air India’s service standards on its long-haul routes.
New or Upgraded Seats
Air India reports that 60% of its U.S. flights will now feature new or upgraded cabin interiors. This includes the A350 deployment and the replacement of legacy aircraft on other U.S. routes with newer models.
The airline now uses three-class Boeing 777-200LRs on most India-San Francisco flights. These aircraft offer 28 Business class suites, 48 Premium Economy seats, and 212 Economy seats, all with updated entertainment systems.
Further, the airline maintains this configuration on flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru (BLR) to San Francisco (SFO). One exception remains: a thrice-weekly Delhi-San Francisco service still uses older equipment.
Air India introduces Premium Economy on its non-stop San Francisco routes. This move aligns with growing demand for an intermediate option between Economy and Business class on long-haul flights.
For Mumbai to New York JFK and Newark routes, Air India deploys three-class Boeing 777-300ERs. These planes feature 8 First class suites, 40 Business class beds, and 280 Economy seats, also with upgraded entertainment systems.
Air India US Flight Schedule
| SCHEDULE OF A350 FLIGHTS ON U.S. ROUTES | |||||
| Flight # | Sector | Departure | Arrival | Days of Operation | Effective |
| AI101 | DEL-JFK | 0220 Hrs | 0735 Hrs | Daily | From Nov 1, 2024 |
| AI102 | JFK-DEL | 1230 Hrs | 1140 Hrs (+1) | Daily | |
| AI105 | DEL-EWR | 0400 Hrs | 0910 Hrs | 5x weekly | From Jan 2, 2025 |
| AI106 | EWR-DEL | 1115 Hrs | 1130 Hrs (+1) | 5x weekly | |
| SCHEDULE OF FLIGHTS OPERATED BY B777s WITH UPGRADED INTERIOR PRODUCT | ||||
| Flight No. | Days of Operation | Sector | Departure | Arrival |
| Operated using Boeing 777-300ER | ||||
| AI119 | Daily | BOM-JFK | 0140 Hrs | 0740 Hrs |
| AI116 | Daily | JFK-BOM | 1155 Hrs | 1155 (+1) Hrs |
| AI191 | Wed, Fri, Sun | BOM-EWR | 0145 Hrs | 0755 Hrs |
| AI144 | Wed, Fri, Sun | EWR-BOM | 1205 Hrs | 1210 Hrs (+1) |
| Operated using Boeing 777-200LR | ||||
| AI173 | Daily | DEL-SFO | 0355 Hrs | 0700 Hrs |
| AI174 | Daily | SFO-DEL | 1030 Hrs | 1445 Hrs (+1) |
| AI179 | Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat | BOM-SFO | 1350 Hrs | 1800 Hrs |
| AI180 | Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | SFO-BOM | 2030 Hrs | 0140 Hrs (+1) |
| AI175 | Wed, Thu, Sun | BLR-SFO | 1350 Hrs | 1730 Hrs |
| AI176 | Mon, Tue, Fri | SFO-BLR | 2100 Hrs | 0325 Hrs (+1) |
+1 denotes next-day arrival. DEL = Delhi, BOM = Mumbai, BLR = Bengaluru, JFK = New York JFK, EWR = Newark, SFO = San Francisco
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