In a historic moment for Indian aviation, Air India’s brand-new Airbus A350-900 is set to enter commercial service on January 22, 2024, in domestic routes for crew training and regulatory compliance. The maiden flight is scheduled between Bengaluru and Mumbai, with subsequent deployments on key routes connecting Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad.
The inaugural flight from Delhi is set to take off on January 23, marking the beginning of a new era for Air India in the domestic sector. Passengers can now make bookings for the highly anticipated Airbus A350 operations.
SCHEDULE OF AIR INDIA’S A350 DOMESTIC SCHEDULE (effective 22 January 2024)
| Flight No | Days of Operation | Sector | Departure | Arrival |
| AI 589 | All, except Tuesday | BLR – BOM | 0705 HRS | 0850 HRS |
| AI 589 | All, except Tuesday | BOM – MAA | 1005 HRS | 1205 HRS |
| AI 589 | All, except Tuesday | MAA – BLR | 1320 HRS | 1430 HRS |
| AI 587 | All, except Tuesday | BLR – MAA | 1600 HRS | 1710 HRS |
| AI 587 | All, except Tuesday | MAA – HYD | 1830 HRS | 1940 HRS |
| AI 587 | All, except Tuesday | HYD – BLR | 2110 HRS | 2220 HRS |
| AI 868 | Tuesdays | BLR – DEL | 0740 HRS | 1030 HRS |
| AI 868 | Tuesdays | DEL – BLR | 1900 HRS | 2150 HRS |
The first A350-900, registered as VT-JRA, landed in Delhi on December 23, 2023, making it the initial aircraft from the 470-aircraft order placed by Air India last year. With 19 more of these wide-body liners on order, the next five are expected to join the fleet in March 2024. A completely new type after Boeing’s 787 dreamliner was inducted into Air India in 2011.
Air India’s strategic move also involves a reshuffling of its aircraft order with Airbus, emphasizing an increase in the number of A321neo and A350-900 aircraft while reducing the count of A320neo and A350-1000 planes. The overall order size remains constant at 250 aircraft, according to the latest data released by Airbus for November 2023.
Currently, Air India operates a fleet of 128 narrow-body and wide-body Airbus and Boeing aircraft, serving passengers and transporting cargo on a global scale. Since its return to the Tata Group in January 2022, Air India’s new owners have been committed to enhancing the airline’s product offerings and planning extensive expansion. The Vihaan.AI roadmap, spanning five years, aims to substantially grow the airline’s network and fleet, placing it on a trajectory toward sustained growth, profitability, and market leadership.
As Air India’s Airbus A350-900 takes to the skies, passengers can expect a new level of comfort and efficiency, further reinforcing the airline’s commitment to providing world-class service. The introduction of this state-of-the-art aircraft signals not only a technological advancement for Air India but also a significant milestone for the Indian aviation industry.
