Air India launches new cabins for A320 fleet

Mumbai: Air India on Wednesday  (June 19) announced that it will be offering premium economy cabin-experience on domestic and short-haul international routes, along with economy and business class.

"Air India’s A320neo aircraft will now offer a new Business, an all-new Premium Economy and a new Economy cabin experience on domestic and short-haul international routes," an official press release stated.

Air India has refitted two new A320neo aircraft – VT-RTW and VT-RTZ – in a three-class configuration featuring eight seats in Business, 24 extra legroom seats in Premium Economy and 132 seats in Economy class. "With this, Air India introduces Premium Economy cabins for the first time on narrowbody aircraft," the release stated.

Delhi-Bengaluru-Delhi and Delhi-Chandigarh-Delhi are the two select routes on which the airline will offer premium economy seats, as per the airline.

Air India has plans to introduce the three-class configuration to its entire full-service narrow-body fleet over the next year. Existing aircraft are now being progressively inducted for refit, while new aircraft joining the fleet will be delivered with the new Air India experience, it said.

"The introduction of a three-class cabin to Air India's narrow-body fleet and commencement of interior refits are important steps in the journey of enhancing the flying experience," said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Air India.

The latest upgrade of the narrow-body fleet, which operates on domestic and short-haul international networks, complements the upgraded wide-body experience now available on A350 fleet and new B777s, and on all other wide-body planes as they are refitted over the next two years, he said.

The new business cabins offer 40-inch ergonomic seats with deep 7-inch recline, an adjustable armrest, footrest and backrest, a tray table deployed at the push of a button that includes a PED holder and is extendable and multiple charging ports while the all-new premium economy category provides larger seats with four-way headrests, wider 32-inch seat pitch with a 4-inch recline, and other amenities such as a PED holder and USB charging port, Air India said.

Earlier this month, Wilson had said that Air India will be retrofitting more than 100 planes, including 40 wide-body planes.

Moreover, the airline had in December 2022 announced that it would be investing USD 400-million to refurbish its Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft fleet.

-B