Skift Take
With the airline focusing so many of its turnaround initiatives on the A350, the jet marks a huge opportunity to showcase the new Air India to the world.
Air India is starting the new year with a bold statement of intent. On Thursday, the carrier showcased its new flagship aircraft, as part of a bigger plan to present a re-energized Air India to the world.
On display at the Wings India aviation show, was the airline’s first Airbus A350-900. This marks one of 20 such aircraft on order (along with another 20 of the larger A350-1000). The company received the jet on December 23 and has been busy since then getting it certified and ready for entry into service.
For many insiders and industry watchers alike, the A350 is being considered the cornerstone of the new fleet and a representative of a ‘New Air India’. The airline has snapped up six A350-900s, originally prepared to Aeroflot's specifications. However, with international sanctions on Russia, these aircraft were ultimately offered to other carriers. Turkish Airlines was the other big-name brand that snapped up six of the rerouted airframes.
What's Inside Air India’s A350?Thursday’s airshow in the southern city of Hyderabad was the first time Air India had publicly presented its new flagship, and Skift was among the first to take a look.
Despite the jet being initially bound for the Moscow-based operator, Air India has taken its time to reupholster the aircraft to make it ‘their’ product. There’s little evidence of any Aeroflot colors in sight. The A350-900 seats 316 passengers in a