Air-India’s Airbus A350: The spacious ‘Maharaja’

Air- India A350–900 (Art by me)

Do you prefer the fragrance of fresh flowers or the smell of fresh paint and a brand new cabin? Well, I would choose the latter, as it is the dream of every aviation geek. Hence, we happen to share similar tastes.

Inducting state-of-the-art airliners has always been on the top agenda of Air-India (AI), which is evident from its fleet from yesteryear, which included the Boeing 747–400's/-200’s, Boeing 707–200's/-300’s, Lockheed Super Constellation L-1011, and Airbus A310, which served intercontinental routes with style and grace. For passengers, the B 747 was a palace that offered unmatched comfort and luxury onboard, and it was called ‘Queen of the Skies.’

Then, with changing times and demand, the carrier welcomed a new fleet as a part of their modernisation, that primarily housed Boeing’s 777–200 ER (Extended Range) and LR (Long Range), along with the -300 ER version, which was good enough to meet AI’s dream of serving North American and European routes along with occasional deployment on Middle Eastern sectors.

I would also like to add that Boeing’s signature Dreamliner, the 787, was chosen by Air-India (the 787–8 variant, and it is not called 787–800 as many would anticipate!), which offered fuel-saving capabilities and range. That is why, for example, we see AI schedule it’s 787–8 on it DEL-IAD (Delhi-Washington, D.C. sector).

Now that Air-India has been privatised, a TATA entity, with the fresh re-branding, the carrier is revolutionising once again with its ultra-modern, aesthetically appealing, fuel-efficient, long-range, comfortable aircraft, the Airbus A350, which will soon replace a part of AI’s ageing fleet. Currently in service, passengers have certainly seen the change firsthand when flying the A350.

AI’s A359 now offers 28 business class seats, along with 24 in premium economy and 264 in economy, with a mouth-watering selection of meals and the best in-class hospitality onboard. VT-JRH was AI’s first A350 that touched down in Delhi on December 23, 2023, after completing the paint work in Singapore and acceptance flights in Toulouse, France. With VT-JRA and -JRE already in operation, the carrier has a firm commitment to a total of 20 A350’s on order.

I am soon going to travel onboard their A350, and not to mention, there are couple of things that fascinates me about this aircraft, that include:

• Masked windshield
• Sleek look
• Blended winglet
• Spacious cabins
• The tail section (tail fin especially)

With the induction of the superior A359, Air-India is geared up for its new routes, making operations not only viable but also, compete with other carriers and also present a world of opportunities for aviation enthusiasts to take a sneak peak of their favourite aircraft. Are you also going to grab a seat on one? Hence, it can be authenticated that AI’s A350 is a spacious Maharaja!

Building machines that fly involve a great deal of planning, hard work and technology, and I would like to dedicate this piece of my scribble to Mr. JRD TATA- the aviation pioneer and visionary of India, on his 120th birth anniversary (29 July 1904–29 November 1993).

-Pramod Sharma, author