Air India has returned the first refurbished A320-200N to scheduled service after a six-month refurbishment. According to a press release from the airline, the aircraft, registered VT-EXN, completed its first commercial flight on March 1, 2025. The aircraft was deployed on the Delhi-Bhubaneswar route and will operate both domestic and short-haul international routes.
The refurbishment is part of a comprehensive $400 million program by Air India to modernize a total of 27 A320neo aircraft. The program aims to refurbish the entire fleet of A320, A321, and wide-body aircraft. These aircraft largely date from before the airline's privatization. The refurbishments include equipping the cabins with new seats, fresh carpets, and new interior trim, as well as repainting the fuselages. The refurbished A320neo aircraft will fly in a three-class configuration consisting of eight business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 132 economy seats.
Completion of the conversion of the narrow-body aircraft is scheduled for the third quarter of 2025. However, Air India is struggling with seat supply shortages, particularly in the business and first class categories. The airline has indicated that the delivery of the required seats has been delayed by up to 12 months due to production bottlenecks. As part of its comprehensive fleet modernization plan, Air India expects all older aircraft to be converted by mid-2027. The airline's CEO, Campbell Wilson, expects the global aircraft market to continue to be affected by shortages in the coming years.