Synopsis
Air India has revealed the updated cabin interiors and new livery for its first retrofitted Boeing 787-8 aircraft. The plane underwent extensive upgrades at Boeing’s facility in California. This modernization is part of a $400 million plan to enhance the airline’s fleet. The revamped aircraft now features a three-class configuration, aligning with Air India’s latest widebody standards.
ET Online Air India shares glimpses of first retrofitted B787-8 (Source: Air India) Air India unveiled the cabin interiors and livery of its first retrofitted B787-8 aircraft on Sunday, which received interior upgrades at Boeing’s Modification Center in Victorville, California, and was subsequently painted in Air India’s new livery at AeroPro.
After procuring mandatory certifications and approvals, the aircraft arrived at the Delhi Airport on April 13, 2026 with revamped interiors and a three-class configuration. Under its $400 million plan to modernise the legacy fleet, the Tata Group-owned carrier got the aircraft retrofitted in line with its latest widebody product standards, as seen on its new Boeing 787-9 inducted in January this year.
The first Boeing 787 took close to 12,825 manhours across over 45 days for the retrofit programme, as teams progressed through a tight workflow, the airline said in a release. The tedious task of revamping an aircraft from nose to tail involves stripping out the legacy interiors to reconfiguring the cabins, installing new seats, carpets, wall laminates, overhauling galleys, lavatories, and rigorously testing the new seating and cabin components.
As per official information, refurbishing the first aircraft required 475 metres of fabric for new seats across cabins, 167 metres of synthetic leather, 169 metres of carpet and 646 litres of paint. A 20-member specialist team dedicated over 5,700 hours over 18 days to revamp the ai
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