Campbell Wilson: Air India Will be Refurbishing More Than 100 Aircraft

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson believes that the airline is in a good position to refurbish more than 100 aircraft. After the agreement with RECARO, it has more than 25,000 seats on order. It has already committed around $400 million to refurbish the legacy widebody fleet.

Air India CEO: Plenty of Things Going On

At the CAPA India Aviation Summit, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said that a lot of things are going on under the transformation process of Air India. The airline group is focusing on mergers, growth, operational streamlining, and exploring ways to enhance customer experience.

It has plans to refurbish more than 100 aircraft under the retrofit program. In February 2024, Air India signed a deal with RECARO to supply seats for the refurbishment of its widebody fleet. As part of this agreement, RECARO will supply the airline with 22,000 seats in the next 5-6 years. However, Campbell Wilson said that Air India has more than 25,000 seats on order.

AirAsia India is now merging with Air India Express, while Vistara will be merged into Air India by the end of the year. This combo of mega LCC and FSC will provide the airline with much-needed flexibility. Foreign airlines are now eager to partner with Air India. Wilson said, “New Air India is not old Air India, airlines now want to dance with us”.

Talking about the bilateral air service agreements, he said that there should be a pragmatic approach. Earlier as well, Wilson has shown support for the protectionist stance of the Government of India, for not allowing additional bilateral rights to airlines like Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, etc.

Refurbishment Process Delayed??

In February 2024, the airline chose RECARO to supply it with 22,000 seats. For the Economy class, the airline selected the CL3710 and CL3810 seats. For Premium Economy, it chose the CL3810 seats. The first Boeing 787 with a new interior was expected to enter into commercial service in June 2024.

June is here, but there are no signs of initialization of the retrofit program. In April, the Hindu Business Line released a report stating that Air India has delayed its refurbishment plans.

The retrofitting process expected to begin in mid-2024 will now start in early 2025. However, the airline will start the refurbishment process of the Airbus A320 fleet by the end of this year. The Airbus A320s with all economy configurations will be reconfigured with three cabins.

It has been more than 18 months since the takeover of Air India. The airline has yet to retrofit a single aircraft with its own product. It will be interesting to see when the first widebody aircraft with a new interior rolls into service.

Conclusion: Air India CEO Campbell Wilson at CAPA India

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has said that the airline will be retrofitting more than 100 aircraft. It has more than 25,000 seats on order. In February, it signed a deal with RECARO for 22,000 seats. According to media reports, the refurbishment process has been delayed.

What do you think about the refurbishment delay of Air India? Discuss in the comment section.