Air India Welcomes First Refurbished B787-8 with New Cabin and Livery.

The first aircraft in Air India‘s fleet of 26 B787s has undergone a complete nose-to-tail cabin makeover with the unveiling of its first modified Boeing 787-8 (VT-ANT).

The airline’s new livery was repainted at AeroPro in San Bernardino after the upgrade was completed at Boeing’s Modification Center in Victorville, California. The aircraft now exhibits improved onboard product standards and Air India’s changing brand identity.

The aircraft’s interiors were completely redesigned as part of the retrofit, moving it from a two-class layout to a contemporary three-class configuration with brand-new seats and an in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. This brought the aircraft into compliance with Air India’s most recent widebody product standards, as demonstrated by its new custom Boeing 787-9, which was introduced in January 2026.

The retrofit of the first B787 required nearly 12,825 manhours over 45 days as teams worked through a meticulously planned process that included removing the legacy interiors, rearranging the cabins, installing new seats, carpets, and wall laminates, renovating the galleys and lavatories, and thoroughly testing the new seating and cabin components.

Additionally, 475 metres of seat fabric, 167 metres of synthetic leather, 169 metres of carpet, and 646 litres of paint were added to the renovation. In addition, a 20-person crew repainted the aircraft’s exterior over the course of 18 days, putting in over 5,700 hours.

Twenty Business Class suites with sliding privacy doors, fully flat beds, and 4K QLED screens, 25 Premium Economy seats with improved leg support and recline, and 205 ergonomically designed Economy seats with personal screens and charging ports are now included in the rearranged cabins. Thales AVANT Up in-flight entertainment systems are installed in every cabin.

New carpets and curtains, updated overhead panels, renovated restrooms, and the installation of a new Cabin Service System and Crew Application Panel interface are other improvements. Customised Elevate Ascent seats in Business Class and RECARO PL3530 and CL3710 seats in Premium Economy and Economy Class, respectively, are available on the aircraft. Thales’ cutting-edge AVANT Up in-flight entertainment (IFE) system is installed in every seat.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Air India stated, “This is yet another proud milestone in our transformation journey as we welcome this transformed legacy B787 aircraft as a shining beacon of the new Air India. One obvious indication of the pace underlying Air India’s development is the refurbishment of our first widebody aircraft. We are quickly modernising the core of our long-haul fleet and boosting the standard for passengers travelling between India and the rest of the world, with 25 additional 787s undertaking this thorough renovation.”

As part of a US$400 million investment to update the airline’s legacy fleet, Air India plans to convert 25 more B787 aircraft over the course of the next year, two of which are already in the process. Together with Boeing, the B787 refurbishment program was designed and implemented, guaranteeing the highest standards of quality and safety in the aircraft and throughout the process.

Air India intends to greatly improve the onboard product and passenger experience on more than 300 weekly flights to locations in the UK, Europe, and Australia after the B787 conversion program is fully completed by 2027. Thirteen of Air India’s vintage B777-300ER aircraft would thereafter be retrofitted.