I went on Air India's brand new Airbus A350 that will soon be flying to the US. I was impressed by the airline's transformation.

Pete Syme,Taylor RainsJul 31, 2024, 22:35 IST

The author and the Air India Airbus A350.Pete Syme/Business Insider<ul class="summary-list"><li>Air India will start flying from Delhi to New York in November.</li><li>One of its brand-new Airbus A350 jets was displayed at the Farnborough Airshow.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-india-economy-cabin-i-flew-miserable-bad-seats-review-2024-2">Air India</a> announced in July that it will fly its <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-777x-compared-airbus-a350-differences-widebody-which-better-2024-3">Airbus A350</a> jets to Newark and JFK Airports in just a few months.The announcement comes as part of a larger <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-india-rebrand-new-planes-seats-uniforms-airbus-a350-photos-2024-2">rebrand for the Indian flag carrier</a>. Two years ago, the government sold Air India to the Tata Group conglomerate, and former Scoot CEO Campbell Wilson was hired to lead the transformation.Last year, Air India ordered 470 new jets — including 40 A350s.One of these brand-new jets was on display at July's <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neither-boeing-nor-airbus-won-this-years-farnborough-airshow-2024-7">Farnborough Airshow</a>. The modern <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-india-business-class-a350-compared-to-777-legacy-2024-2">business-class</a> suites, new premium economy seats, and updated economy cabin illustrate a distinct turnaround.Here's what the new Air India looks like.

Air India displayed one of its brand-new Airbus A350 jets at the Farnborough Airshow last week.

An Air India Airbus A350 on display at the Farnborough Airshow.Pete Syme/Business Insider

The jet is pivotal in Air India's rebrand as it seeks to transition from an outdated, government-owned carrier to a slicker, more modern operation.

A new uniform was included in the rebrand.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

This A350-900 was only three months old.

An Air India A350-900 with the tail number VT-JRH.Pete Syme/Business Insider

I was particularly impressed by the new business class.

An overview of an Air India business-class suite.Pete Syme/Business Insider

The business-class suites had a sleek but modest design.

The exterior of seat 1A on the Air India A350.Pete Syme/Business Insider

The seats can turn into lie-flat beds that are 6 feet 7 inches long.

A lie-flat bed on board an Air India A350.Pete Syme/Business Insider

Plus, passengers get Ferragamo amenity kits and Tumi pajamas.

Pajamas and skincare were displayed on the suite's console. Pete Syme/Business Insider

The in-flight entertainment catalog was well stocked.

"Dune: Part Two" and "Breaking Bad" were available on the in-flight entertainment.Pete Syme/Business Insider

Or if you wanted to read instead, there was some insightful travel writing in the magazine.

Namaste.ai — Air India's inflight magazine.Pete Syme/Business Insider

There was plenty of stowage space too, including a closet.

Each suite has a closet to hang up clothes.Pete Syme/Business Insider

At the end of the cabin was a small bar, but it wasn't stocked during my tour.

The empty bar area.Pete Syme/Business Insider

There's also a new premium economy cabin on Air India's A350.

Premium economy seats are an inch wider than in economy.Pete Syme/Business Insider

Levers on the armrest allow you to manually recline and extend the legrest.

The premium-economy seats recline about two inches further than in economy.Pete Syme/Business Insider

I'm 5 feet 9, but I think taller people would find no issue with the legroom.

A first-person view from an Air India A350 premium-economy seat.Pete Syme/Business Insider

The economy cabin was configured in a 3-3-3 layout.

Air India's A350 has 264 economy seats.Pete Syme/Business Insider

I was impressed by the amount of legroom here as well.

A first-person view from an economy seat on an Air India A350.Pete Syme/Business Insider

You can also recline the seats by six inches.

A row of economy seats with one fully reclined.Pete Syme/Business Insider

The economy seats also have adjustable headrests that slide up and fold at the sides.

The headrest in Air India's A350 economy cabin.Pete Syme/Business Insider

Air India plans to fly its A350 to New York's JFK Airport starting November 1.

7,300 miles separate JFK and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.Pete Syme/Datawrapper

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