TORONTO (TIP): To step its North American market share from 30 per cent upwards, the management of Air India has started replacing its old aircraft from the Canadian-Indian sector by introducing the latest version of the company-designed and manufactured Boeing 787 aircraft.
Since the introduction of a new aircraft that has a configuration of 30 business class, 28 premium economy and 238 economy class seats, the response from the Indo-Canadian community in general and others has been overwhelming, say the officials of the airline that went to private hands a couple of years ago.
Senior officials of Air India – Raghavendra Singh, Amit Arora, Arun Kapoor and Hardeep Singh – were on hand to explain salient features of the new aircraft that has been in use since the beginning of last months for 10 flights a week between Toronto and Delhi. Others accompanying them included Arun Kapoor and Anshu Kashyap.
Canada and India have had strong civil aviation relations for over 40 years, and they said that they want to make them stronger and more purposeful by catering to the needs of air passengers on various India and Canada corridors. The new aircraft have been designed keeping in view the demands, expectations and aspirations of our great patrons, the passengers.
Air India, they said, will soon have its office in Toronto. At present, it operates from Pearson International Airport.
At present, they said, only Air India and Air Canada operate direct non-stop flights to India from Canada. Besides Mumbai and Delhi, there are four cities, including Amritsar, that are on Easy Connect for international flights. Easy Connect facilities are for international passengers only. They explained that if a passenger is planning to travel from Amritsar to Toronto, he can check in his bags and even get immigration clearances done in Amritsar rather than getting these done in Delhi or Mumbai.
A special tour was conducted for members of the media team to explain how an indigenous design relevant to Indian traditions and heritage has been incorporated in fabricating the internal furnishings of the aircraft. “We have not started talking about the introduction of first class. It will take us a while to upgrade this new acquisition with the elite class,” says Amit Arora, Regional Manager for North America.
Besides the acquisition of new aircraft, Air India also plans to renovate and upgrade its lounges at various destinations in North America, where it has close and code-sharing tie-ups with both Air Canada and WestJet.
“We are trying to keep our promises after taking over the airline from government control. Modernization and upgradation of the fleet has been the first step,” the officials said holding that all existing 17 flights on the Delhi route will be shifted to the new aircraft by the end of the year. Similarly, Air India operations on Vancouver-Delhi and Toronto-Mumbai will also go to Boeing 787-9 craft by February next year.
The Air India officials explained that in December 2024, Air India placed an order to purchase 100 additional Airbus aircraft, comprising 10 widebody A350 and 90 narrowbody A320 Family aircraft. Subsequently, Air India also placed orders for 30 additional Boeing aircraft, comprising 20 737-8 and 10 737-10.
The airline has, thus, placed record orders for 600 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
Air India began taking delivery of new aircraft from its firm orders in the second half of 2023, as it continues to renew its fleet progressively.
In September 2024, Air India commenced its US$400 million refit program for a phased revamp of 66 legacy aircraft in its fleet, including 27 narrowbody Airbus A320neos and 39 widebody Boeing aircraft.
This refit will lead to a complete refresh of the product to the new Air India experience — with modern cabin configuration, new seats, new carpets, curtains, and upholstery.
Upgradation of narrow-body aircraft
The upgradation of the 27 legacy narrowbody aircraft has been completed, with all 27 legacy Airbus
The retrofit program commenced in September 2024 and was completed within a record one-year time frame.
Together with over 70 additional narrow-body aircraft that feature upgraded interiors, Air India now operates over 3,600 flights per week on domestic India and short-haul international flights with aircraft featuring brand-new or upgraded cabin interiors, thus having transformed the passenger experience on nearly 80% of the narrowbody routes.
“We take care of every passenger, especially our own Indo-Canadian community, with cabin crew members well trained and equipped to handle all their needs. They understand the psyche and requirements, besides speaking the language of our passengers, to make their journeys comfortable and enjoyable,” they said, holding that “we serve our passengers like a Maharaja.”
At present, Air India has a fleet strength of 177 aircraft, including various versions of vintage Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
(Prabhjot Singh is a Toronto-based senior journalist who writes on Sports, politics and community. He can be reached at prabhjot416@gmail.com)
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