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Post-privatisation, the airline has placed an order for 570 aircraft, including a mix of widebody and narrowbody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing.
Seating layout of the Air India A350.
If you are travelling from Delhi to London and expecting just another long-haul flight, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. The moment you step inside Air India’s brand-new Airbus A350, something shifts.
The airline’s Airbus A350, deployed on its flagship Delhi–London Heathrow route, is a testament to that transformation. With renewed ambition, reimagined service elements, and a global-facing outlook, the aircraft offers an unmistakably new experience, but reassuringly Indian at heart.
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Cabin Experience: The Look And Feel Of Change
The A350’s cabin interiors immediately signal a transformation. Soft lighting, subtle finishes, and modern seat design create a more open, premium feel. It’s not flashy, but it’s certainly more aesthetically put together than earlier aircraft.
Business Class now features lie-flat seats and Ferragamo-designed amenity kits, with personal space and comfort being noticeably improved. Premium Economy also benefits from the refresh—more legroom, more comfort, and greater recline. The economy, too, seems to be witnessing an improvement with the upgrade, featuring cleaner, better-organised seating and refreshed textures.
While the layout and design won’t radically surprise seasoned international flyers, they’re certainly on par with global standards and a significant departure from the previously operated fleet before Air India’s homecoming to the Tatas.
World-Class Dining At 35,000 Feet
Food on board the A350 is where Air India truly takes flight. This is not reheated fare passed off as acceptable—it is, in every sense, a world-class dining experience.
In Business Class, the meals are plated with care—served on new chinaware and accompanied by proper glassware, which retained the old Maharaja mascot. One such meal featured a chicken main course, warm bread rolls, a well-balanced salad, and a saffron dessert, kesar rasmalai, that stood out for both texture and flavour. The crew service was smooth and warm.
In Premium Economy, guests were served equally thoughtful meals, albeit with a slightly streamlined setup. Even in the economy, the meals no longer feel like an afterthought; there’s a sense of curation and quality that signals a complete transformation that the airline is focusing on.
Entertainment & Connectivity Fit For The Global Traveller
Air India’s new in-flight entertainment (IFE) offering is perhaps one of the most welcome changes. With over 3,500 hours of content—including films, TV, music, and documentaries—the selection is robust and varied. The screens are quicker to respond, easier to navigate, and feel modern.
Wi-Fi connectivity, available on the A350, B787-9, and select A321neo aircraft, adds to the sense of a connected flying experience. On this flight, it was operational at a decent speed for checking emails and casual browsing. It may not replace ground-level speed, but it’s a major first for many passengers who’ve flown the airline over the years.
Behind The Wings: A Business In Full Flight?
This aircraft is just one part of a much larger overhaul at Air India. Post-privatisation, the airline has placed an order for 570 aircraft, including a mix of widebody and narrowbody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing.
From these new aircraft orders, Air India has received six A350s that are currently operating non-stop flights from Delhi to London Heathrow, New York, and New Jersey (Newark). Additionally, the airline has recently inducted other aircraft that offer upgraded cabin interiors as well as those from erstwhile Vistara, which are deployed on several other international routes such as San Francisco, Singapore, Frankfurt, Dubai, Bali, and Hong Kong.
Tech upgrades have also played a central role, from a $200 million investment across 140 IT systems to the launch of AI.g, India’s first generative AI-powered airline chatbot. The Maharaja Club loyalty program has been refreshed, and a new website, app, and lounge experience have also been rolled out.
Looking Ahead
What Air India’s A350 Delhi–London flight delivers is not just a promise but proof that Indian aviation can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best. The (state-of-the-art A350) aircraft itself is modern and quiet. The service is refreshingly refined. And the overall journey? More than just a trip, it’s a transition from the past to a promising future.
About the Author
Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ…Read More
Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ… Read More
September 19, 2025, 14:12 IST
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Author: News18
