Air India has confirmed its flagship A350-900 aircraft will soon operate the airline’s ultra-long-haul routes to New York.

India’s flag carrier took delivery of its first A350 in late 2023, and now has six of the aircraft in its fleet, configured with 28 suites in business class, 24 seats in premium economy and 264 in economy.

The Airbus aircraft will operate the airline’s daily Delhi-New York JFK flights from 1 November, followed by Delhi-Newark from 2 January, 2025.Surat Investment

The deployment will see Air India offering premium economy on the routes for the first time.Pune Stock

The news follows last month’s announcement that Delhi-Heathrow will be the first long-haul route to be operated by the carrier’s A350 aircraft, starting from 1 September.

Air India said that with the deployment of the A350 to New York, 60 per cent of its flights to the US would feature new or upgraded cabin interiors.

Almost all of the airline’s flights to San Francisco (from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru) now feature upgraded three-class Boeing 777-200LR aircraft including a premium economy cabin.

And services from Mumbai to JFK and Newark are now operated by three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft featuring a first class cabin with eight suites.Hyderabad Stocks

Commenting on the news Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer and managing director, Air India, said:

“We are encouraged by the positive guest feedback we have received from the domestic deployment of our A350s to offer our hero product on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes. This is a significant leap forward for our U.S. operations that also underscores our commitment to continuous improvement.

“The new seats, new inflight entertainment systems, and new soft products will together provide our guests with great comfort and service that are representative of the new Air India.

“We believe this enhanced offering will solidify Air India’s position as a leading carrier and attract travellers seeking a world-class flying experience between India and the United States.”

Air India’s new A350 fleet is part of the carrier’s ongoing transformation, which also saw the launch of a new livery and brand identity last year.