Air India's New Boeing 787-9 Now Flies Mumbai-London Heathrow: Here's What's New

Flying between Mumbai and London just got a major upgrade as Air India introduces its newest Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the Mumbai–London Heathrow route. It offers a new onboard experience for international travellers, with redesigned cabins, upgraded entertainment systems, improved seating across all classes, and for the first time on this route, a dedicated Premium Economy cabin.

The move is part of Air India's ongoing fleet modernisation programme as the airline continues to upgrade its long-haul international services.

New Boeing 787-9 Now Flying Between Mumbai And London

Air India has started operating its new Boeing 787-9 aircraft on flights AI131 and AI130 between Mumbai and London Heathrow. These are the airline's first Boeing 787 aircraft built specifically for Air India, with cabin interiors installed directly on Boeing's production line instead of being retrofitted later. This provides the route with a clearly defined new-generation cabin experience, reflecting Air India's design language and Indian-inspired interiors.

Meanwhile, the airline's second daily Mumbai–London Heathrow service will continue to operate with the upgraded Boeing 777-300ER, which also offers First Class.

Premium Economy Debuts On The Route

One of the biggest highlights is the introduction of Premium Economy on the Mumbai–London Heathrow route. The new Boeing 787-9 has three cabin classes:

• 30 Business Class suites

• 28 Premium Economy seats

• 238 Economy seats

The addition of Premium Economy gives travellers another option between Business and Economy, especially for those seeking extra comfort on the nearly 10-hour journey without paying Business Class fares.

What Is New In Business, Premium Economy, And Economy?

The new aircraft has several upgrades across all cabins. Business Class features private suites with direct aisle access and fully flat beds measuring 79 inches. Passengers also get wireless charging, larger personal storage, and 17-inch 4K QLED HDR entertainment screens.

Premium Economy offers wider seats in a 2-3-2 layout with a 38-inch seat pitch. Seats have adjustable headrests, leg rests, and calf rests for more comfort on long-haul flights. Each seat also has a 13.3-inch entertainment screen.

Economy passengers will also notice improvements, including ergonomically designed seats, 11.6-inch 4K touchscreens and built-in holders for personal electronic devices.

Better In-Flight Entertainment And Cabin Experience

The Dreamliner is equipped with Air India's latest in-flight entertainment system powered by Thales AVANT Up. Passengers in all cabins can enjoy over 3,000 hours of movies, TV shows, music, and other content on high-definition touchscreens. A useful addition is Bluetooth connectivity, allowing travellers to pair their own wireless headphones instead of using wired ones.

The aircraft also includes USB-A and USB-C charging ports, AC power outlets and a more intuitive entertainment interface.

Another noticeable feature is the new cabin mood lighting, inspired by traditional Indian wellness concepts and designed to create a more relaxing atmosphere during long flights.

Meals And Onboard Service

Air India has also updated its onboard service with refreshed menus featuring both Indian and international dishes. Passengers can expect upgraded tableware, premium glassware, redesigned amenity kits and improved bedding on long-haul flights. These changes aim to create a more consistent premium travel experience across the airline's international network.

Air India Continues To Expand Its UK Network

The UK remains one of Air India's most important international markets, serving business travellers, tourists and the large Indian diaspora.

The airline currently operates 57 weekly non-stop flights between India and the UK, connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Amritsar with London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Birmingham.

Passengers travelling through Air India's hubs in India can also connect conveniently to destinations across Southeast Asia, Australia and the Indian subcontinent.

With the introduction of its newest Boeing 787-9 on the Mumbai–London Heathrow route, Air India is continuing its push to modernise its fleet while giving travellers more comfort, better technology and greater choice on one of its busiest international routes.

FAQs

Q1. Which Air India flights now use the new Boeing 787-9?

Air India's new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner now operates on flights AI131 and AI130 between Mumbai and London Heathrow.

Q2. Does the new Boeing 787-9 have Premium Economy?

Yes. The aircraft introduces 28 Premium Economy seats, marking the first time this cabin is available on the Mumbai-London Heathrow route.

Q3. How many seats does Air India's Boeing 787-9 have?

The aircraft features 296 seats, including:

30 Business Class suites

28 Premium Economy seats

238 Economy seats

Q4. What new features are available onboard?

Passengers can enjoy 4K entertainment screens, Bluetooth headphone connectivity, wireless charging (Business Class), USB-A and USB-C ports, AC power outlets, mood lighting and upgraded cabin interiors.

Q5. What is new in Air India's Business Class?

Business Class now offers fully flat beds, direct aisle access, private suites, wireless charging, larger storage areas and 17-inch 4K entertainment screens.