Air India To Operate New Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner With Restrictions, Awaits FAA's Delayed Approvals

New Delhi: Air India is set to launch its first custom-built Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with specific operational restrictions on February 1. 

The Tata Group-owned carrier is awaiting U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification of the sliding privacy doors in its Business Class suites, and 18 Economy Class seats will remain cordoned off temporarily, as these features remain out of service.

The aircraft features a 296-seat layout, including 30 in Business, 28 in Premium Economy, and 238 in Economy. According to sources,18 specific Economy Class seats will remain cordoned off until FAA certification.

While the seat model is a global industry standard, a regulatory interpretation issue is currently being resolved with the manufacturer and the FAA. Until formal certification is secured, these seats will remain vacant.

Privacy and Seating Limitations

The primary restriction affects the Business Class suites. While the cabin is designed with modern sliding privacy doors, these will remain fixed in the open position during flights. 

According to an airline spokesperson, this safety feature is still undergoing the FAA's evaluation.

Furthermore, of the 238 Economy Class seats on board, 18 specific seats (RECARO 3710) have been physically blocked and removed from the sale inventory. 

While the seat model itself is widely used globally, a "regulatory interpretation" issue has forced the airline to keep these specific units unoccupied until the manufacturer and the FAA resolve it.

Route and Fleet Strategy

The Dreamliner is scheduled to serve the Mumbai-Frankfurt route. Despite the restrictions, the aircraft offers a three-class configuration, a total of 296 seats.

• Business Class: 30 seats (privacy doors disabled)
• Premium Economy: 28 seats
• Economy Class: 238 seats (18 blocked from use)

Industry Context

The hurdles faced by Air India are not unique. Global carriers, including Lufthansa, have faced similar delays in securing FAA certification for new business class seat designs and cabin configurations. 

As Boeing ramped up its 787 deliveries in late 2025, the backlog of interior certifications became a common bottleneck for international airlines.

Air India’s fleet currently stands at 188 aircraft, including 33 Dreamliners. 

Looking ahead to 2026, the carrier expects to add five more wide-body jets, three B787-9s and two A350-1000s, building on a year where Boeing delivered 14 Dreamliners globally.

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