Air India is approaching the final stages of upgrading its cabins across key London Heathrow services, with its Bengaluru–Heathrow route set to operate using a refurbished Boeing 787-8 from January 2027. The airline is also increasing capacity on selected flights to Birmingham and Gatwick.
Passengers flying between Bengaluru and Heathrow will benefit from upgraded business and economy class cabins, alongside the introduction of a premium economy option. The refurbished Dreamliner will replace the older Boeing 787-8 currently operating the route.
Air India launched its Bengaluru–London service in August 2024, initially flying to Gatwick before transferring operations to Heathrow in October of the same year.
Other Heathrow services already feature a combination of newer and refurbished aircraft. Flights between Delhi and Heathrow operate using Airbus A350-900s and Boeing 787-9s, while the Mumbai route is served by new 787-9s and upgraded 787-8s.
Air India Continues Its Transformation
The airline is undertaking a wide-ranging transformation under the ownership of the Tata Group, with investment spanning cabin interiors, crew uniforms, airport lounges, aircraft livery and fleet expansion.
Air India received its first Airbus A350-900 in late 2023. The aircraft features 28 business-class suites and 24 premium economy seats. The airline has also begun introducing a new fleet of 20 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, while upgrading existing Boeing 777-300ER and 787-8 aircraft.
Improvements on the ground have accompanied the fleet investment. Earlier this year, Air India unveiled a refurbished lounge at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and opened a new facility at San Francisco International Airport, featuring a speakeasy-style bar and a dedicated first-class area.
However, the transformation has faced challenges, including supply chain delays that have forced the airline to refurbish some older aircraft instead of retiring them as originally intended.
Air India has also faced significant financial and leadership pressures. CEO Campbell Wilson resigned earlier this year, following the fatal Ahmedabad aircraft crash that killed 260 people. Reuters reported last month that the airline was seeking $1.5 billion in additional equity funding from its owners, Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, following substantial losses.
More Seats on Birmingham and Gatwick Services
Alongside the Heathrow cabin upgrades, Air India has increased capacity on two UK routes by deploying larger Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
The four-times-weekly Ahmedabad–Gatwick service has gained approximately 2,700 additional seats per month in each direction after the larger aircraft replaced the Boeing 787-8 previously operating the route.
The thrice-weekly Amritsar–Birmingham service has also switched to the 777-300ER, adding around 2,000 seats per month each way.
Air India has confirmed, however, that the aircraft currently serving these two routes do not yet feature its latest cabin seating products.
The airline now operates 57 weekly non-stop flights across seven UK routes:
- Ahmedabad–Gatwick
- Amritsar–Birmingham
- Amritsar–Gatwick
- Bengaluru–Heathrow
- Delhi–Birmingham
- Delhi–Heathrow
- Mumbai–Heathrow
At Heathrow, Air India competes directly with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, both of which operate services connecting London with Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai.
Indian rival IndiGo also introduced Heathrow services from Delhi and Mumbai last year. However, the airline is suspending these flights from 25 October amid geopolitical tensions, airspace restrictions and rising fuel costs.
A More Consistent Premium Experience
More than three years after introducing its new brand identity, Air India is moving closer to delivering a consistent premium cabin experience across its key Heathrow routes.
A review by Business Traveller of the airline’s Airbus A350-900, equipped with Collins Aerospace Horizon business-class seats, highlighted the privacy, generous seat width and storage facilities.
Upgrades to aircraft interiors and airport services are central to Air India’s efforts to rebuild its reputation following the Indian government’s divestment of the airline in 2022.
Nevertheless, continued financial losses indicate that the carrier still faces significant challenges before it can establish itself as a major global competitor.
Competition is also evolving. Former British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh has taken over as CEO of IndiGo, which is pursuing ambitious plans to expand its fleet substantially and develop its long-haul network in the coming years.
For Air India, completing the Heathrow cabin refurbishment programme and expanding capacity on key UK routes represent important steps in its wider transformation. The longer-term challenge will be to combine an improved passenger experience with sustainable financial performance and stronger international competitiveness.
