Dec 21, 2023, 2:51 am
Last edit by: Anish
Seat configs and tail numbers for the new aircraft joining 2023 onwards -
B777-200LR (Ex-Delta) - VT-AEE/F/G/H/I
C28 W48 Y212 (Delta One Suite) - Seatmap
Routes - BOM-SFO, BLR-SFO, DEL-SFO (Might be swapped with AI 77L)
B777-300ER (Ex-Etihad) - VT-AEQ/R/M/N/O/P
F8 C40 Y280 - Seatmap
Routes - BOM-EWR, BOM-JFK, BOM-LHR, DEL-LHR
B777-300ER (Ex-Singapore Airlines) - VT-?
F4 C48 W28 Y184 - Seatmap
A350-900 - VT-JRA/B/E/F/H/I
C28 W24 Y264 (Aeroflot interiors with suites in Business) - Seatmap
B777-200LR (Ex-Delta) - VT-AEE/F/G/H/I
C28 W48 Y212 (Delta One Suite) - Seatmap
Routes - BOM-SFO, BLR-SFO, DEL-SFO (Might be swapped with AI 77L)
B777-300ER (Ex-Etihad) - VT-AEQ/R/M/N/O/P
F8 C40 Y280 - Seatmap
Routes - BOM-EWR, BOM-JFK, BOM-LHR, DEL-LHR
B777-300ER (Ex-Singapore Airlines) - VT-?
F4 C48 W28 Y184 - Seatmap
A350-900 - VT-JRA/B/E/F/H/I
C28 W24 Y264 (Aeroflot interiors with suites in Business) - Seatmap
AI B777 Fleet adjustments (Refurb B77W, Retire B77L, Lease B77E)
Aug 25, 2022, 4:47 am
#16
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Aug 25, 2022, 5:12 am
#17
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Is that because of government restrictions on satellite communications? Or is it because of that and current government paranoia about not having unbridled access to the communication servers of foreign communication service providers?
Aug 25, 2022, 5:19 am
#18
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Aug 25, 2022, 6:13 am
#19
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The 777-200 ER and LR were all retrofitted to the new DL cabin in 2018-19: 777 D1 Suite PS + Comfort+ retrofit consolidated thread
And then stored/sold in 2020: Delta to retire its entire Boeing 777 fleet by the end of the year
Most of the 16 are in the process of being converted to freighters... https://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/...tored-b777.htm
If that list is to believed only the 1999 vintage ERs are really available for lease. Which would make little sense, the LRs would be a fit for AIs operations. 🤔
And then stored/sold in 2020: Delta to retire its entire Boeing 777 fleet by the end of the year
Most of the 16 are in the process of being converted to freighters... https://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/...tored-b777.htm
If that list is to believed only the 1999 vintage ERs are really available for lease. Which would make little sense, the LRs would be a fit for AIs operations. 🤔
Aug 25, 2022, 8:55 am
#20
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It is forbidden only while the plane is in Indian airspace, I believe. For flights to North America, that still leaves a lot of time.
Flying on Qatar to/from Doha, I get internet access until we are over India.
Flying on Qatar to/from Doha, I get internet access until we are over India.
Last edited by SeeBuyFly; Aug 25, 2022 at 11:25 am
Aug 25, 2022, 9:01 am
#21
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Inflight satellite reception is allowed by the GoI since some time, eg SG planned to start offering it on their B73M using Inmarsat GX (in cooperation with BSNL):
https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2021/1...ailable-india/
The catch is that such service has to be in cooperation with an entity licensed by GoI. I doubt the equipment on dry lease aircraft will be activated and AI will bother to get all that sorted out for a short term lease.
https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2021/1...ailable-india/
The catch is that such service has to be in cooperation with an entity licensed by GoI. I doubt the equipment on dry lease aircraft will be activated and AI will bother to get all that sorted out for a short term lease.
Aug 25, 2022, 11:18 am
#22
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...Most of the 16 are in the process of being converted to freighters... https://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/...tored-b777.htm
If that list is to believed only the 1999 vintage ERs are really available for lease. Which would make little sense, the LRs would be a fit for AIs operations. 🤔
If that list is to believed only the 1999 vintage ERs are really available for lease. Which would make little sense, the LRs would be a fit for AIs operations. 🤔
Aug 25, 2022, 11:46 am
#23
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https://www.airliners.net/forum/view...9401#p23135843
https://worldairlinenews.com/2021/09...-delta-777lrs/
I guess it will be 6 B77E 
As mentioned, all 10 of the B77Ls have been sold to Mammoth Freighters for future cargo conversions. Two of the B77E's were sold to Wilmington Trust, with one of these, N867DA passing on to the Arizona Cardinals. That leaves 6 B77E's stored at VCV awaiting new homes, or eventual dates with the scrapper.
Mammoth brings a flexible business model to market that provides air cargo operators and asset owners dynamic new options including the ability to provide their own assets for conversion or acquire or lease ready-to-fly converted freighters from Mammoth’s existing feedstock of ten 777-200LR GE90-110B1 equipped aircraft. These assets were acquired from Delta Air Lines and are the largest fleet of -200LR sister aircraft in the world.
Aug 25, 2022, 12:14 pm
#24
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Aug 25, 2022, 12:19 pm
#25
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Two? Six planes are certainly enough for 3 routes, since each flight takes much less than 24 hours so 2 planes per route is plenty. Even more if the routes are not served daily.
Note that there are also Canadian destinations.
If they want to be obnoxious they can do as Qatar does nowadays, which is mix their QSuite and non-QSuite planes randomly into their different routes.
Note that there are also Canadian destinations.
If they want to be obnoxious they can do as Qatar does nowadays, which is mix their QSuite and non-QSuite planes randomly into their different routes.
Depending on the planes they actually get - YYZ & YVR might be in play. Still I would think they would get most revenue out of the US routes with Delta One Suites...
Aug 25, 2022, 12:57 pm
#26
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They can't stop other airlines offering the service outside of Indian airspace but it will be a very long time before they start allowing Indian airlines from offering the same.
Sep 12, 2022, 9:07 am
#29
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Coming in Dec 2022 as per AI's press release today, see new fleet thread: AI B777 Fleet adjustments (Refurb B77W, Retire B77L, Lease B77E)
Sep 12, 2022, 9:09 am
#30
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Press release from AI today regarding the new lease inductions:
Link: https://www.airindia.in/writereaddat...nal_ope.._.pdf
So the highlights are 777s coming from Dec 2022, new premium economy product, and a new BOM-SFO service (AFAIK first on this route by any airline).
New Delhi, 12th September, 2022: Air India, India's leading airline, has signed leases and letters of intent for 25 Airbus narrow-body and 5 Boeing wide-body aircraft to augment its existing fleet in the near term.
These new aircraft, which will enter service from late 2022, will increase the airline’s fleet by over 25%. Not counting the 10 long-grounded narrow-body and 6 wide-body aircraft that have been returned to service in recent months, these new aircraft mark the first major fleet expansion since Air India’s acquisition by the Tata Group earlier this year.
The aircraft being leased include twenty-one Airbus A320neos, four Airbus A321neos and five Boeing B777-200LRs. The B777-200LRs will join the fleet between December 2022 and March 2023, and will be deployed on routes from Indian metro cities to the United States of America. Mumbai will see the addition of flights to San Francisco as well as to both of the New York area’s international airports, Newark Liberty and John F Kennedy, while Bangalore will receive a 3x weekly service to San Francisco. These aircraft will result in Air India offering Premium Economy haul flights for the first time.
The 4 A321 aircraft are expected to join the Air India fleet in the first quarter of calendar year 2023, while the 21 A320 will be inducted in the second half of 2023. These aircraft will be deployed on domestic sectors as well as to short-haul international destinations.
These new aircraft, which will enter service from late 2022, will increase the airline’s fleet by over 25%. Not counting the 10 long-grounded narrow-body and 6 wide-body aircraft that have been returned to service in recent months, these new aircraft mark the first major fleet expansion since Air India’s acquisition by the Tata Group earlier this year.
The aircraft being leased include twenty-one Airbus A320neos, four Airbus A321neos and five Boeing B777-200LRs. The B777-200LRs will join the fleet between December 2022 and March 2023, and will be deployed on routes from Indian metro cities to the United States of America. Mumbai will see the addition of flights to San Francisco as well as to both of the New York area’s international airports, Newark Liberty and John F Kennedy, while Bangalore will receive a 3x weekly service to San Francisco. These aircraft will result in Air India offering Premium Economy haul flights for the first time.
The 4 A321 aircraft are expected to join the Air India fleet in the first quarter of calendar year 2023, while the 21 A320 will be inducted in the second half of 2023. These aircraft will be deployed on domestic sectors as well as to short-haul international destinations.
So the highlights are 777s coming from Dec 2022, new premium economy product, and a new BOM-SFO service (AFAIK first on this route by any airline).