Air India unveils custom cabin interiors on first line-fit 787-9
Business Class suite on Air India’s new line-fit 787-9 aircraft
Air India has unveiled the custom-styled cabin interiors of its first line-fit 787-9 aircraft, marking a new onboard product standard that will extend across the airline’s fleet.
The aircraft, registered VT-AWA, entered the fleet in January and begins commercial service on Mumbai–Frankfurt flights from February 1. It is the first 787 designed specifically for Air India and delivered with bespoke interiors.
“The arrival of this new Boeing 787-9 is a significant moment in Air India’s Vihaan.AI transformation program,” said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, in a statement released January 27. “It underscores our commitment to delivering a world-class physical product and inflight entertainment experience.”
The aircraft features 296 seats across three cabins—30 Business Class suites, 28 Premium Economy seats and 238 Economy seats—all equipped with Thales AVANT Up inflight entertainment and Bluetooth headphone pairing.
Business Class introduces 1-2-1 suites with sliding privacy doors, direct aisle access and fully flat beds measuring 79 inches in length. Each suite includes wireless charging, Type A and Type C power, a 17-inch 4K QLED touchscreen, storage cubby with lighting and design elements inspired by traditional Indian jaali architecture.
Premium Economy seats offer 38-inch pitch, calf and leg rests, and 13.3-inch 4K screens, while Economy features ergonomic 3-3-3 seating with 11.6-inch displays and charging ports.
Air India developed the cabin design with JPA Design to reflect its revitalized brand identity through warm colour palettes, tactile materials and curved architectural forms intended to evoke contemporary Indian luxury.
The aircraft also introduces a mood-lighting system created with Tata Elxsi and inspired by India’s chakra wellness traditions. The lighting includes 10 scenes designed to support circadian rhythm alignment and passenger wellbeing on long-haul flights.
Air India says the new interior specification will become standard across its 787 fleet, with 19 additional production aircraft arriving with the same design and all 26 existing 787-8 aircraft undergoing retrofit by mid-2027.
