Air India has welcomed the first of 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, registered VT-JRA, in the airline’s new livery.

The aircraft arrived at New Delhi from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France. The delivery flight, operated using a special call sign AI350, was welcomed by Air India representatives.

Air India’s Senior Commander Capt. Monika Batra Vaidya, who is among the first few Indian pilots to be trained on A350, was on board as an observer.

Air India said it “leads the way in catalysing the renaissance of Indian aviation”, inducting the first new widebody
fleet type in India in more than a decade, and becoming the first Indian airline to fly the A350.

Air India was also the first Indian airline to have inducted the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet type in 2012.

Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD, Air India, said: “This moment marks a red-letter day for all of us at Air India. The A350 is not just metal and engines; it’s the flying embodiment of the relentless efforts of all Air India employees towards our airline’s continuing transformation and of our commitment to setting new benchmarks. It is also, in many ways, a declaration of Indian aviation’s resurgence on the world stage.

“As a symbol of the new age of flying, the A350 promises a world-class, long-haul travel experience on our non-stop routes, providing an unparallelled level of comfort. Its excellent flight economics and state-
of-the-art technology underscore our dedication to commercially successful operations and to achieving our sustainability goals.”

Air India’s A350 will enter commercial service in January 2024, initially operating domestically for crew
familiarisation, followed by longer-haul flying to destinations across continents. The schedule of commercial operations with the A350 will be announced in the coming weeks.
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