Air India's New Dreamliner to Operate with Limitations, Awaits FAA Nod on Sliding Privacy Doors

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Air India's latest Boeing 787-9 aircraft, the first custom-made Dreamliner to join the airline's fleet after the Tata Group takeover, will enter commercial operations on the Mumbai-Frankfurt route on February 1. However, the plane will operate with certain limitations due to pending regulatory approvals. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has yet to approve the sliding privacy doors in the business class suites and 18 economy class seats. Until the approvals are received, the sliding doors will remain fixed in the open position, and the affected economy seats will be physically blocked from use. Air India has assured that all other seat features are available for passenger use. The airline is working closely with the manufacturer and regulator to resolve the regulatory interpretation affecting the 18 specific economy seats. The new aircraft has 296 seats, including 30 business class, 28 premium economy, and 238 economy class seats. The airline currently has 33 Boeing 787s in its fleet, with five more wide-body aircraft set to join the fleet in 2026. Air India's spokesperson stated that the product limitations due to pending certification apply only to the new B787-9 aircraft and not to the retrofitted B787-8 planes. The airline has 188 planes in its fleet, with the legacy Boeing 787s undergoing retrofit progressively. This is not an isolated issue, as some global airlines, including Lufthansa, are also awaiting regulatory approvals for their business class seats. Air India expects to receive the necessary approvals in the near future and will offer the affected seats for sale once full certification is received.