The airline has ordered four A350s, which are part of a
larger deal of 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, including 70 widebodies.
The airline has already received some A320s, A321 NEOs and Boeing 737 MAX8s
from the order.
Air India trains its staff for A350 operations
The airline has been training its pilots, cabin crew and
engineers for the A350 operations around the world. The first A350-900, which
will also feature Air India’s new livery, was originally meant for Aeroflot but
was cancelled due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Therefore, it will not have
Air India’s new interiors, which will be seen from August 2024 onwards.
Six sets of pilots have completed their simulator training
in Singapore, and two more sets will be trained each month. The pilots are also
trainers who will train other pilots in-house. Airbus is providing simulator
training slots in Singapore, Toulouse and Miami. Air India will also get its
own simulators for the A350, which will be installed at its upcoming training
academy.
A batch of cabin crew trainers have also finished their
training at Toulouse, France. They will train other cabin crew members in
India. The cabin crew will also practice on a “door trainer” in Singapore,
which is a mock-up of the aircraft’s doors. Air India has also ordered door
trainers for its own use.
Three batches of engineers, from Air India, Vistara and AIX
Connect, have completed training sessions at the Airbus facility in Toulouse.
They have also learned about structure assessment and engine run-up. Some
engineers have also partnered with Singapore International Airline’s
maintenance arm, SIA Engineering Company, to get hands-on experience of A350
maintenance. Airbus has also provided review meetings to offer technical
support and guidance.
Air India plans to deploy A350 on long-haul routes
The A350 will not be immediately used on ultra-long haul
routes such as the US. It will first undergo DGCA evaluation for about 20 days,
after which it will fly domestically for some time for crew familiarisation
purposes. The airline plans to use the A350 on long-haul routes such as Europe,
Australia and Japan, where it can leverage its superior performance and
efficiency.
The A350 can carry up to 325 passengers in a three-class
configuration, and fly up to 15,000 km without refuelling. The A350 also offers
a more comfortable and quieter cabin, with larger windows, mood lighting and
lower cabin altitude.