Air India has announced plans to roster its flagship A350-900 aircraft onto flights to Heathrow from 1 September.
The carrier’s Delhi-Heathrow route is currently served by a mixture of Boeing 777-300ER and 787-8 aircraft, but from the start of September a total of 14 out of 17 weekly flights will be operated by the A350.
The move will mark the first long-haul international destination for the airline’s A350-900 – the first of which was delivered in late 2023.
It will see Air India offer a premium economy cabin on its Delhi-Heathrow route for the first time, with 24 seats configured in a 2-4-2 layout.
Weekly capacity on the route will also increase by 336 seats following the aircraft switch.
Air India said that once the A359-900 had been deployed to Heathrow, 90 per cent of its flights to the airport will offer new or upgraded interiors.
This follows the introduction of refurbished Boeing 777-300ERs on the Mumbai-Heathrow route from April, including the addition of a first class cabin.
India’s flag carrier has now taken delivery of six A350s, configured with 28 suites in business class, 24 seats in premium economy and 264 in economy.
The Airbus aircraft also sport the airline’s new livery which was unveiled last year.
Commenting on the news Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer and managing director, Air India, said:
“The deployment of our flagship A350s and the B777s with upgraded cabin interiors to London Heathrow marks a significant milestone for Air India. It demonstrates our commitment to elevating the travel experience of our guests to truly world-class standards and to going beyond just meeting customer expectations as we continue to renew our fleet.”
“With our industry-leading cabin products on the A350 including a new Premium Economy experience and a host of new on board enhancements rolling out, we are confident that these daily flights between India and London Heathrow will soon be the preferred choice for travellers.”
Earlier this month British Airways announced plans for a third daily flight between London Heathrow and Delhi, commencing on 20 April, 2025.
British Airways to increase flights from Delhi to London Heathrow
