Air India has restored the last of 30 long-grounded aircraft inherited at the time of its return to the Tata Group in 2022, marking the completion of one of Indian aviation’s most ambitious fleet revival programmes.
The final aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER registered as VT-ALL, had been out of service since February 2020. Its restoration began in earnest in April 2025, with the aircraft entering Air India’s MRO facility in Nagpur the following month. The scale of work involved was considerable, with over 3,000 new components being installed, more than 4,000 maintenance tasks completed, and major assemblies including engines and auxiliary power units replaced. A full systems rebuild covering avionics, hydraulics, landing gear, and air-conditioning was also carried out under DGCA oversight and technical guidance from Boeing.
VT-ALL has since completed its test flight and received its Airworthiness Review Certificate, clearing it for regular operations. The aircraft will join Air India’s long-haul network before undergoing a full cabin retrofit from 2027, when it will be brought in line with the airline’s new interiors and livery.
