- The Tata Group reacquired Air India in 2021 and invested billions to overhaul its fleet.
- The airline’s new Airbus A350-900 sports a new suite-style business class with sliding doors.
- Air India is soon launching the jet in the US to appeal to premium fliers.
Founded by the Tata Group in 1932, Air India was once the gold standard for air travel — so much so that Singapore Airlines modeled its business after it.
But the once prestigious airline faced widespread criticism after it was nationalized in 1953. Customers complained about unkept planes and an awkward business class.
The airline, desperate for a turnaround, was reacquired by the Tata Group in October 2021, and new management quickly invested billions in overhauling its fleet.
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Air India welcomed its first new plane, an Airbus A350-900, in January. One of the most exciting upgrades in the new plane is its suite-style business class, which Business Insider toured at the Farnborough Airshow in July.
The A350 was initially launched on shorter flights to familiarize crews, but the new and improved premium option will begin flying to the US in November.
Air India hopes to shake up the market and better compete with fan favorites like Qatar Airways and Emirates — and it has finally created something its highest-paying customers can look forward to.
