Air India: When a Wallet Overrules and Wins!

By Neelam Mathews

Feb 2, 2026

AI161 to London on Jan 1: The A350 behaved, as did the passengers including me.

Written with the unfiltered honesty as a passenger, though my inner aviation nerd  took candid notes as it couldn’t stop noticing cabin details no one else cares about- Or do they?

PS: I have avoided writing details on manufacturers of seats and cabin interiors as pax don’t really care as far as their expectations were met  - nm

Here Goes-

I hadn’t flown Air India in ages -back when Vistara was still Vistara and not part of the same family-so my expectations were firmly in check. But seeing the A350 on static display at Wings India 2024 jolted me. The cabin looked nothing like the airline I remembered. The layout was crisp, the finishes finally felt intentional, and the tiny touches-the quiet Maharaj on the salt‑and‑pepper tiffin‑dabba, the cutlery, the linen, the amenities-were unexpectedly thoughtful.

But what dazzles on the ground is one thing; what holds up at 35,000 feet is another. I’d flown Etihad’s A350 Business Class to the US last September with genuine excitement. My Air India A350 to London this January came with… trepidation. The online chatter wasn’t flattering, and memories of that old AI 777 to Chicago-shaggy cabin, broken seats, comatose IFE-were hard to shake, even if the captain pointing out the Northern Lights had softened the blow.

So yes, I was a tad cynical when I booked a last‑minute hop to London on Air India. OTP horror stories didn’t help. But it was a direct flight, the fare hadn’t budged in ten days, and after my Paris–Abu Dhabi detour last year just to sample the A380-with an eight‑hour lounge‑bed layover-I realised I’d taken aviation enthusiasm a mile too far. That escapade even became a thecore.in piece on why Indian carriers are winning the argument for flying direct: passengers shouldn’t have to disembark looking like they’ve been through a washing machine.

I checked in online 48 hours before departure-no drama, no glitches. My flight was at 1:40 a.m. on January 1, which meant I was technically stretching my New Year by five and a half hours as I prepared to fly back in time. “Air India, either you’ll give me a New Year to remember or… Shubh Shubh bolo.” (Speak auspicious words)

I’d recently read about the “invisible perks” airlines are supposed to extend to senior citizens but rarely do -priority with bags, shorter queues, better seats. Turns out, I didn’t need to rehearse my rights. Air India had quietly built it into the system, something many Western carriers still treat as optional. Being escorted to the (still congested) lounge-thankfully AI has its own now-and then to the aircraft, the SATS‑AI service felt like a genuine win.

Travelling on January 1 felt idiotic, but the flight was packed, and soft Christmas carols floated through the cabin. That alone would’ve been unthinkable in the old AI.

Something is shifting. The warmth is still there, but now it’s wrapped in a more professional, less intrusive rhythm. For an airline that has spent four years merging three carriers, retraining crews, retrofitting cabins, inducting new aircraft, and trying to rebuild its identity while legacy competitors cruise on autopilot, this pace of change is… remarkable.

Choosing a seat came with an unexpected tip: sit on the right side for a spectacular view of London. It sounded trivial, until it wasn’t. For someone returning on a nostalgia trip to the city of her student days, that glimpse of London from above hit like a soft punch. Leicester Square evenings, friends who felt immortal, my internship on the old Fleet Street-all of it flickered through my mind, and yes, a faint tear made an appearance. Journalists aren’t supposed to be soppy, but nostalgia has its own rules.

My absolute favourite onboard perk was the free Wi‑Fi-something I suspect won’t stay free for long, especially now that the gorgeous 787‑9 has joined the fleet. This is a great moment to fly Air India: the new Dreamliner brings fully flat Business Class suites with privacy doors, QLED touchscreens, wireless charging, Bluetooth pairing-the works. It entered commercial service on Mumbai–Frankfurt from February 1, and it shows.

In a petty comparison, Etihad’s A350 suite doors didn’t shut fully. Air India’s did. Etihad, of course, wins hands‑down on lounge experience—an espresso cum round sit-down bar and baklava will do that. Air India’s space felt cramped, with a modest corner of liquor and Tata‑brand snacks. A little more variety wouldn’t hurt.

The IFE selection worked for me simply because I hadn’t caught up on new releases. A frequent Air India flyer friend-18 international flights last year-said the movies and menu need more frequent rotation, though it hasn’t stopped him from choosing the airline. CEO Campbell Wilson has already said this refresh cycle is underway.

 Premium Economy passengers, take note: Air India has quietly upgraded its wine list, and yes, you’ll now be offered Prosecco.

At this point, the old line- “Air India, you’re getting there”-no longer applies. The airline isn’t getting there. It’s there.

 You can probably see where this is going. The crew training shows. Beds were set the moment you wanted them. A glass of Dom Pérignon appeared exactly when you looked like you needed one. Faulty earphones were replaced without fuss.

And then there were the quirks of the aircraft itself: thanks to supply‑chain chaos, Air India took six A350s originally destined for Aeroflot. What the Russians were thinking when they designed that absurdly narrow jacket cabinet is beyond me. And shifting the washroom to make room for storage near the cockpit? Let’s just say it made trolley‑pulling a gym workout. Too much vodka in the design room, perhaps.

                                                  
                                            Storage where the washroom generally is 

But the service? I was elated. The “old AI” stereotype has been dismantled. The staff feel trained yet natural-an underrated combination. I still remember a Qantas Business Class flight where they forgot to serve me a meal. By the time I realised, it was too late. Much as I love cheese and crackers, they were lucky I wasn’t reviewing them. I don’t see that happening on Air India today.

With the A350, Air India has stepped into the big league of long‑haul Business Class. It delivers Privacy, Polish, and Poise-the trifecta for travellers with taste.

I expected compromise. What I got was competence-and a clear glimpse of an airline quietly reinventing itself.