6 days Ago
Air India A350 aircraft Air India’s new A350-900 offers upgraded seat comfort and entertainment systems. It is the first new aircraft type to be introduced by an Indian airline in over a decade. As of now, the revamped experience is available on key international routes like London, New York, San Francisco, Frankfurt, and Singapore.
The Airbus A350-900 aircrafts introduce new experiences, such as onboard Wi-Fi, improved screens with over 3000 hours of entertainment content, and more. Air India is changing for the better. I recently flew from Delhi to London on AI111, and here are five upgraded tech features you should be aware of before your next long-haul flight from India.
Economy cabin class infotainment system The A350-900 offers an upgraded infotainment experience, thanks to bigger and sharper screens (that actually work). You get a 21-inch display in Business Class, a 13.5-inch screen in Premium Economy, and a 12-inch display in Economy.
All offer 1080p Full HD resolution for their catalog of over 3000 hours of entertainment content across formats and genres. This includes 1400 hours of movies, 850 hours of TV, and 1000 hours of audio. While the Hollywood collection includes close to 300 movies, BAFTA and Oscar-winning titles, the Indian content ranges from Bollywood to regional cinema with 120 movies in regional languages and a total of over 300 Indian movies spanning decades.
The TV collection includes content from HBO, Sony Liv, Hulu, HBO+, and more. Plus, you get access to an extensive library of content from Vogue, GQ, and The New Yorker. For kids, there’s an extensive selection of over 100 hours of curated audio and video content across three sections: Pre-School, Kids, and Teens.
In my experience, the infotainment system was responsive and provided good colors for an in-flight system. It was more intuitive than before, thanks to the upgraded headsets with noise cancellation, available for Premium Economy and Business Class. I willingly watched movies on this instead of opting to take out my iPad.
Air India onboard Wi-Fi This was one of the biggest factors missing from Air India flights. Early last year, I flew from San Francisco to Delhi on a long-haul flight with no internet, which resulted in a day’s worth of office hours wasted. It’s a different story if you’re flying over weekends, but most people don’t have the luxury of taking workdays off for a flight.
Thankfully, it’s changing with the new A350-900 lineup. On my way to and from London, I could connect to the Wi-Fi to stay connected on Slack and file stories in the CMS (Content Management System). It’s as fast as in-flight Wi-Fi can be.
Apart from the A350, Air India’s internet connectivity service is now available on domestic and international flights operated by Boeing 787-9 and select Airbus A321neo aircraft. Integrated AirTag support Air India is claimed to be the first airline in Asia to integrate the Apple AirTag service for its passengers. While you can always add an AirTag to your bag and track it with your iPhone , iPad, or Mac, an integrated service is different because it builds upon the baggage tracking feature offered within the airline through its app and website.
You need to file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) for the baggage at Air India’s Baggage Counter at the airport and then generate the ‘Share Item Location’ in the ‘Find My’ app on your Apple device. Share the location link with Air India by pasting the AirTag link within Lost and Found Check-in Baggage > Share Item Location . This feature rolled out recently, after my trip, so I wasn’t able to test it.
That said, it’s a great-to-have feature for unfortunate times when a bag is misplaced due to logistical issues. AI111 Business cabin class The A350-900 offers an upgraded cabin humidifier in Business Class for a cozier experience. It’s especially essential for Southeast Asia and the Middle East-bound flights, as it helps tackle the dryness and humidity in those areas efficiently.
The Air India Business Class cabin features a humidifier that boosts humidity to over 20% (from the usual 5%). As a result, you get a better, hydrated environment that helps reduce fatigue, jet lag, and dehydrated skin. Air India AEYE Vision Air India is using artificial intelligence in its mobile app for a feature called AEYE Vision.
The company says that it’s built in-house and offers “AI-based computer vision technology” to provide functionalities like boarding pass scanning, accessing flight details, baggage status, and more. To scan your boarding pass, open the Air India mobile app, go to the My Trips section, and tap on Add Trip > Open AEYE Vision . It will fill in the flight information automatically, and you can then check your flight and baggage status conveniently.
Similarly, you can scan your baggage tag, and the app will inform you when the bags are loaded, unloaded, and ready for pickup at baggage claim. AI111 Business cabin class seat The Business Class cabin is also upgraded to offer a more spacious experience, a step up from the 2-4-2 layout. You now get your own private space, with delicious in-flight dining options and a comfortable foldable mattress for when you want to catch up on sleep.
All of these revamped features put Air India on the global map with a much-improved and better experience than before..
