Air India plans to lease three Boeing 777-300ERs from Singapore Airlines to replace older, less efficient widebody jets to enhance operational efficiency and passenger experience, reports Economic Times. The news comes as the airline is in the process of replacing older Boeing 777-200 widebody jets.
Air India’s current fleet includes 121 aircraft, 72 narrowbodies and 49 widebodies. Of the 49 widebody aircraft, the fleet comprises 27 Boeing 787-8s and 22 777s, consisting of 14 B777-300ERs and eight B777-200s. Of this, these -200s, five are ex-Delta aircraft leased in the last 12 months,
Previously, Air India has announced its decision to replace the older B777-200s with more efficient 777-300ERs, citing limited seating capacity.
The older B777-200s in the airline’s fleet also have been subject to passenger ire due to not functional entertainment systems, crumbling seats, and broken lavatories. The airline seeks to enhance its operational efficiency and passenger experience by undertaking this upgrade.
“It makes no sense to refurbish the existing B777-200s, which can seat only 238 passengers. Instead, the B777-300ERs leased from Singapore Airlines are in good condition and feature premium economy seating, allowing for a higher yield with 264 seats,” a person familiar with the matter told Economic Times.
The airline did not specify the exact date for these three aircraft to join the fleet