I toured Air India's new Airbus A350 — which it hopes will compete with elite competitors like Emirates and Qatar. See inside.

Taylor RainsJan 25, 2024, 17:30 IST

Air India unveiled its brand new A350 in January at the Wings Airshow in Hyderabad.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Air India unveiled its first-ever Airbus A350 at the Wings Airshow in Hyderabad this month.
The aircraft features a new-and-improved cabin complete with privacy doors in business class.

Air India welcomed its new Airbus A350 in December — a first for the nation's flag carrier — and it's an incredible improvement from the airline's notoriously mediocre product.

The next-generation aircraft represents a new era for Air India, which debuted the Airbus model on Monday. The carrier has been undergoing a transformation since October 2021, when it was privatized by the Tata Group after years of decline under government control.

To see the progress, I toured Air India's new A350 widebody at the Wings Airshow in Hyderabad last week — and I think customers have a lot to look forward to.

After being nationalized by the Indian government in the 1950s, the Tata Group bought back Air India in October 2021.

An Air India Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline is now owned by the Tata Group.Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The full-circle moment represents a much-needed change for Air India as its reputation has turned sour over the decades.

Tape is sometimes used the patch Air India's aging seats, and the tray tables are pretty flimsy.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Back in its heyday, Air India was considered the gold standard for air travel with fancy on board lounges and elite premium seats.

An Air India Boeing 747 lounge when it was still under Tata control in the middle of last century.Tata.com

Under government ownership, however, the carrier found itself in disarray.

Air India Star Alliance livery. The airline struggled under state ownership.Phuong D. Nguyen/Shutterstock

Most representative of its decline are its planes, which Air India let deteriorate to the point where seats were regularly broken and dirty.

I found duct tape on business-class seats.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

For instance, a reporter at The Points Guy said Air India's business class was the "worst" she ever flew.

There was little to no privacy onboard Air India's legacy business class.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

And Reuters has cited challenges the Tata Group would face, pointing to Air India's "worn-out fleet" and business-class seats in "poor repair."

The current seats have little to no privacy, you can see across the entire row to the window.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The airline had struggled with punctuality, with its on-time performance historically regularly below standard.

Air India has in the past struggled with on-time performance.SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images

While other airlines like Emirates have kept up with customer expectations in an ever-changing industry, Air India simply let its product slip.

Competitor Emirates has one of the best-rated business classes, seen here on its Airbus A380.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

In an interview with Air India’s new CEO, Campbell Wilson, he acknowledged the airline’s various product faults to Business Insider.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the airline had a long way to go, but promised improvement.Rajanish Kakade/AP

However, he pointed out the millions in dollars of investments the airline has made in the two years since Tata took over.

Air India has dozens of legacy widebodies like the Boeing 777 pictured that still feature a dated cabin.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

For example, Air India plans to modernize its legacy Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 widebodies, which will be complete by the end of 2025.

Air India's legacy business class does not offer direct-aisle access to window seat passengers.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

But one of the most noteworthy moves is the 470-strong order for Airbus and Boeing planes — the first delivery being its new A350-900.

Air India's A350 on display at the Wings Airshow in Hyderabad.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Air India officially unveiled the jet at the Wings Airshow in Hyderabad on January 18, and I was among the first to see the interior.

The flight attendants showed off the new uniforms.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

And I’d be lying if I didn’t say Air India's new product is a significant upgrade — take a look.

The author sitting in the new Air India business class with the privacy door closed.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Onboard, passengers will find 316 seats split across three cabins: 28 in business, 24 in premium economy, and 264 in coach.

The business-class cabin had private seats.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

It is important to note that the interior is that of Russian carrier Aeroflot — it is not Air India’s original design.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines Boeing 777-300ER jet aircraft at Moscow-Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow, Russia.Leonid Faerberg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

However, Air India has added its own flare to the product to show off its new-and-improved branding.

The glassware features a purple color scheme.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Starting in business class, customers will find full privacy doors, lie-flat beds, and giant TVs.

The middle section has a divider between the two seats for total privacy.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The lie-flat bed has plush linens, headphones, an amenity kit, and pajamas for added comfort.

The shawl-like cover on the bed was impressively silky.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The inflight entertainment system includes over 2,200 hours of streaming with everything from Hollywood to Bollywood.

Air India has updated its table set up and inflight menu as well.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Moreover, all customers are set to have direct-aisle access — a significant change to its out-of-date legacy product.

The middle section of Air India's legacy business class, which is in a 2x3x2 layout.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Also featured is tons of storage, including a closet and cubbies.

The double closet is featured in the middle seats, while the window seats have a single closet.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

And the soft product is impressively detailed — I could clearly see Air India's new brand identity.

The Maharaja is a significant part of Air India's current and historical branding.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

My favorite soft prodcut items, in particular, were the purple cheese plate and the convertible pillow.

The cheese plate forming the Vista logo.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Behind business class, Air India has incorporated premium economy in a 2x4x2 layout.

Air India's new premium economy.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

These seats are bigger than regular coach and have added amenities, like more storage and legroom.

The seat offers adjustable headrests, a legrest, and good legroom.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The 13.3-inch seatback screen and legrest are also features absent in regular economy.

The TVs in premium economy are bigger than coach.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The back of the plane features Air India's new economy cabin, configured in a 3x3x3 layout.

New economy cabin on Air India, though the seats do not have footrests like the legacy product.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The seat is up to par with competitors, with 31 inches of pitch and the regular bells and whistles of a modern coach product.

Economy offers 31 inches of pitch.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I did notice a few added touches, including the cupholder that could have been inspired by Singapore.

The cupholder is fit into the tray table.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Overall, I was extremely impressed with Air India's new long-haul cabin.

Behind business class was a stocked bar with alcohol and snacks.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I think the sliding door was a good decision, and a staple feature that customers look for in a top tier business class.

Business class is basically a bunch of enclosed cubicles.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Meanwhile, I don't think customers need to dread flying economy anymore.

The lavatories are also clean and modern.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

As long as Air India can keep its seats working and stay on course with orders and refurbishments, I have high hopes.

The A350 on display in Hyderabad.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I stayed in a Disney World suite that can cost over $8,000 a night. See inside the 1,000-square-foot space with 2 bathrooms.

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I toured Air India's new Airbus A350 &mdash; which it hopes will compete with elite competitors like Emirates and Qatar. See inside.