National Aviation Safety Centre To be Established in India; Aircraft Accident Investigations will be Improved
India is planning to establish a National Aviation Safety Centre to train aircraft accident investigators and aviation professionals. The
Air India Group expects 2026 to be the most visible phase of its ongoing overhaul, even as its overall capacity will remain mostly unchanged next year due to concurrent inductions of new aircraft and retirements of older ones. CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said the airline will add 26 aircraft in 2026, six wide-bodies and 20 narrow-bodies, but the net fleet count will stay moderately flat as leased Boeing 777s are returned. Three 777s owned by the airline are retired, and a substantial portion of the fleet remains grounded for retrofits.
A stronger surge in capacity is expected in 2027–28 as bulk aircraft deliveries commence. “The number of aircraft in 2026 starts and ends the same, but they are different aircraft. The net growth will really come from the following years,” Wilson said.
What did Wilson Say?
Wilson, speaking at his first media conference since the June 12 Dreamliner crash, said the programme to upgrade the wide-body fleet will define Air India's 2026. The first two refurbished Boeing 787-8 aircraft will return to service in February, after which 2 to 3 aircraft will be upgraded every month. By the end of 2026, about 66% of the 787 fleet will have new interiors, in-flight entertainment, Wi-Fi and premium seats, with full completion targeted for mid-2027. Overall, the airline will operate about 81% of its international flights with upgraded aircraft by the end of next year.
Narrow-body refurbishment is nearing completion, with 83% of the fleet already upgraded. Seventeen legacy narrow-bodies that were earlier planned for retirement will now be retained to offset delays in Airbus and Boeing deliveries. Aircraft from Vistara, which merged with Air India in November 2024, will start accepting Air India livery and interior branding this month.
Despite the transformation schedule, global supply-chain pressures will weigh on deliveries. Wilson said Air India should have received 28 brand-new aircraft from its total 570-aircraft order by now, but only “white tail” aircraft, originally manufactured for other customers, have been transported so far. The CEO, though, stressed that the investment plan remains intact even in the face of recent setbacks, such as the fatal AI 171 crash and softer US travel demand driven by visa delays, airspace constraints and longer flying times.
Wilson said passengers will notice the most substantial improvement in 2026 across products and operations, including advanced wide-bodies, refreshed narrow-bodies, expanded training and upkeep infrastructure and a uniform customer experience across the merged airline. The Maharaja loyalty programme is being extended across the group, allowing recognition and rewards across all Air India entities.
Wilson on Ahmedabad crash
Wilson said that 95% families affected by the June 12 Ahmedabad air crash have received interim relief. “About 70 families have also received ex gratia payments from the AI 171 Trust, with another 50 in process. We will reach out to all affected families, as Air India and Tata Sons, to provide whatever support they may require,” he said.
Source: Financial Express
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