Air India, owned by the Tata Group, has received approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct in-house modifications on its aircraft interiors, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s fleet enhancement efforts. The Design Organisation Approval (DOA) allows Air India to make design changes independently, streamlining and accelerating the revamping of its fleet’s interiors, reports PTI.
Why was the approval necessary?
The full-service carrier is collaborating with Tata Technologies to elevate the quality and functionality of aircraft interiors. This partnership aims to integrate digital solutions and smart maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, reducing aircraft downtime and enhancing safety, comfort, and reliability.
“This DOA approval is transformative for Air India, building our in-house engineering, maintenance, and training capabilities, and making us more self-reliant,” the airline said in its release. According to officials, Air India’s DOA also enables it to potentially extend these services to other Indian airlines in the future, as no other Indian carrier has achieved this level of authorisation.
Air India’s CEO and Managing Director, Campbell Wilson, stated that the approval underscores Air India’s commitment to fleet maintenance and passenger experience. Meanwhile, Tata Technologies’ CEO, Warren Harris, added that the collaboration would bring next-generation interiors to Air India, emphasizing both functionality and customer satisfaction.
Air India fleet revamp
The DOA approval comes amid Air India’s large-scale retrofitting of its older planes and its recent order for new aircraft. The Tata Air India Group currently operates three airlines — Air India, Air India Express, and Vistara (a joint venture with Singapore Airlines). The combined Air India and Air India Express fleet includes over 230 planes, while Vistara’s fleet of 70 aircraft will merge with Air India on November 11.