summary
- Air India will add Boeing 777-300ERs to London Heathrow flights from Delhi in September.
- The airline has placed short-term lease orders for several 777s that it previously operated for Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways.
- Air India will also introduce new cabins on its widebody aircraft next year.
Air India’s passenger service to London Heathrow Airport will diversify its fleet with the addition of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from September. The airline has operated flights to London exclusively using Boeing 787s for several years. However, London has been chosen as one of the destinations to be serviced by these aircraft as it welcomes the new 777s on short-term leases.
Boeing 777 returns to Delhi-London route
Air India will deploy a Boeing 777-300ER as Flight AI111 between Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) from September. It will be the first time in several years that the airline will use a 777 on the route. It will also continue to use the Boeing 787 Dreamliner between the two cities.
The development follows Air India’s recent arrival of a 777-300ER formerly owned by Etihad Airways. The plane’s configuration includes his three classes: First, Business and Economy. This also means Air India will offer first class seats to London for the first time in a long time, but these seats are not yet available for booking on their website. Air India’s 787 only offers Business Class and Economy Class.
More 777s to be introduced
Air India has hundreds of aircraft on order for long-term expansion, but also has several Boeing 777s on lease for short-term use. The airline already uses some of Delta’s older Boeing 777-200LRs and will also welcome 777-300ERs that previously served Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways.
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
According to its latest plans, the company will have 14 777s on short-term leases, including five 777-200LRs from Delta Air Lines, three 777-300ERs from Singapore Airlines and six 777-300ERs from Etihad Airways. The first of which arrived earlier this month. Registration of VT-AERs.
Reports first surfaced in July that Air India was planning to acquire three 777s from Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines retired several 777s during the coronavirus pandemic, and these could come to Air India. At this time, it is unclear when his three 777s will arrive in India from Singapore.
cabin upgrade
Of course, the inclusion of all these 777s previously operated by other airlines means that Air India is in a position to sell tickets in cabins that differ from its usual offering. For example, when Delta’s old 777-200LR arrived, Air India began offering premium economy tickets on select routes to the United States. On Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways planes, you might expect upgraded premium cabins.
But the company will eventually introduce its own new cabin on all widebody aircraft, and recently revealed a new cabin that will be on its 777 fleet starting next year.
The two-minute clip showed four different cabins: First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy. Brown, beige and gray were the predominant colors in First and Business Class, while Economy and Premium Economy featured dark red or maroon seats with gray headrests.
All of this is part of an ambitious cabin renovation programme, in which Air India has secured a total of $400 million. Hopefully, airlines will replace outdated luxury cabins entirely within the next few years.
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