With Air India suspending its services between Delhi and Washington DC, passengers who had already booked tickets for travel after September 1, 2025, are agitated. The retrofitting of the airline’s 26 Boeing 787-8s was scheduled early last year under Vihaan. AI and has no connection to the recent air crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. In mid-July, the airline announced that 26 of its Boeing 787-8s (including VT-ANT) would be sent for retrofitting in the coming months, with the first aircraft already flown to the Victorville, California, facility that same month.

Retrofitting is the process of upgrading or modifying an existing aircraft with new technologies, systems, or features to improve its performance, efficiency, or functionality Air India has stated that aircraft upgrades are not the only reason for the suspension, citing a combination of operational factors. “The continued closure of airspace over Pakistan impacts the airline’s long-haul operations, leading to longer flight routings and increased operational complexity,” the airline said in a statement. Of the 26 Boeing 787-8s, seven will undergo heavy, scheduled maintenance (D-checks) at Victorville.

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