Air India plans all-new A350, 777X first class

Air India will boost the appeal of its forthcoming Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 777X jets by adding a fresh take on first class.

While a revamp of the current 777-300 fleet will see the long-overdue introduction of first class and business class suites, the airline’s Chief Commercial Officer, Nipun Aggarwal, has indicated the new jets will feature all-new first class suites.

Air India's 'next, but not next-gen' first class / business class.

“Many of the biggest airlines in the world are developing the next generation of first-class products, and Air India aims to compete with them by offering a superior product,” Aggarwal said at a press briefing.

The first-equipped jets would serve ‘mega-city’ markets such as Singapore, London and New York, and Aggarwal believes there will be ample demand from high-net-worth individuals as an alternative to private jets on Delhi’s long-haul routes.

"Even if you have a private jet, you can’t fly to the US from India in your private jet without a stop… however, with our first-class product, you can fly nonstop.”

Air India's 'next, but not next-gen' first class / business class.

While Air India’s initial A350-1000 and Boeing 777-9 deliveries are still several years away, the jets are expected to adopt a more ‘premium-heavy’ configuration in terms of both the first class and business class cabins than the upgraded 777s, which will have four first and 35 business class suites.

Air India isn’t alone in seeing the merit of investing in first class: British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways and of course Qantas all have totally new first class suites on the way.

Also read: How first class became more like a ‘personal apartment’