In Short:
Air India plans to use new Airbus A350 aircraft on routes to US starting November. 60% of US flights will have upgraded interiors. Customers have given positive feedback on A350 service. A320 retrofit got poor review for cramped seats. A320 economy class has tight seating and discomfort due to seat pitch. Airbus planes being reconfigured. Some passengers find the seat spacing uncomfortable.
Air India to Deploy Airbus A350 Aircraft on Delhi-New York and Delhi-Newark Routes
Exciting news for travelers! Air India has announced that it will be using its new Airbus A350 aircraft on the Delhi-New York route starting from November 1 and on the Delhi-Newark route from January 2. This means passengers can look forward to a more comfortable and modern flying experience on these routes.
Upgraded Cabin Interiors
Not only that, but 60 per cent of Air India’s US flights during winter will have new or upgraded cabin interiors. This shows Air India’s commitment to providing a top-notch experience for its passengers. Despite a recent critique of its narrow body Airbus A320 aircraft for cramped seat pitch in the economy cabin, Air India’s Managing Director and CEO Campbell Wilson remains optimistic about the airline’s continuous improvement efforts.
Improvements in Fleet
Air India has been working on improving its fleet, replacing older aircraft with newer ones on various routes, including services to San Francisco and Mumbai-New York/Newark flights. The airline operates a mix of Airbus and Boeing narrow body and wide body aircraft on both domestic and overseas routes.
Reconfiguration in Progress
Recently, Air India began operating its first Airbus A320 aircraft in a three-class configuration. While Vistara offers business, premium economy, and economy seats on this aircraft, Air India is focusing on reconfiguring its planes for product commonality. The economy class now features 132 seats with comfortable upholstery, a 28-29-inch seat pitch, a 4-inch recline, a personal electronic device holder, and a coat hook.
However, aviation expert Ajay Awtaney has described Air India’s new A320neo economy class as “knee-crushing.” He pointed out that the issue lies with the seat pitch, which could make long journeys uncomfortable for passengers. Awtaney shared his own experience on a Delhi-Bengaluru flight, where he felt claustrophobic as soon as the passenger in front of him reclined their seat.
Despite these concerns, Air India has not yet responded to queries regarding this matter.
