Air India sends B787-8 to Boeing's Shanghai facility
New Delhi: Air India has begun sending its aging Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners to the manufacturer's maintenance hub in Shanghai for overhauls, according to industry sources. Typically, the airline would dispatch these aircraft to their US-based facility in Victorville for such work.
Boeing's Shanghai facility offers Air India an expedited option for retrofitting its wide-body fleet. The carrier currently operates 26 legacy Dreamliners, of which three have already undergone retrofitting at Victorville. Two more are currently under renovation at that location, while a third has been sent to Shanghai for the same purpose.
The airline's extensive fleet comprises 185 aircraft in total, including 60 wide-body planes. Within this group, there are 35 Dreamliners, 19 B777-300 ERs, and six A350-900s. Additionally, three new wide-body additions are set to join Air India's fleet this year, consisting of one B787-9 and two A350-1000s. Previously, Air India Express operated two of the B787-9s.
Air India's wide-body retrofit program has faced delays due to supply chain challenges. In a recent town hall meeting, the airline's CEO and MD, Campbell Wilson, revealed that the group plans to add over 100 new aircraft in the next two years. Specifically, 16 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners are scheduled for retrofitting in 2027.
Written by urgent.news from The Economic Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
