Inside Air India's Boeing 787: the ugliest Dreamliner seats yet?
By David Flynn, May 31 2012
We're ardent admirers of the Boeing 787's interior – the high ceilings, oversized scenic windows, clever overhead bins, show-stopping entryway, LED lighting and the overall sense of space which blesses the Dreamliner's cabin.
Of course, how each airline chooses to dress up their Dreamliner is up to them.
To date only two airlines have begun commercial Boeing 787 services – competing Japanese carriers ANA (the 787's launch customer) and JAL.
One of the next in line is Air India, which has already flagged plans to fly the Dreamliner from Delhi to Sydney and Melbourne as early as September this year.
Thanks to India's Bangalore Aviation we now have our first glimpse at the interiors of Air India's Boeing 787 in a video tour shot and shared via YouTube.
The video shows Air India's two-class configuration, with 18 business class seats in a 2-2-2 layout and two economy cabins with 3-3-3 seating.
All the seats appear to sport touchscreens (presumably running Google's Android operating system) plus USB and AC power sockets.
After viewing the video to make those notes, we're moved to ask: is this the ugliest Boeing 787 seating and interior to date?
Seriously, Air India – a business class cabin with slab-like seats in orange-red or mushroom-grey, and headrests in a custard yellow cream?
Not to mention economy class in a spotted murky red or something that's not-quite-orange, with headrests in dusky red or mustard.
We'll grant you that the interior of ANA's first 787 won't set pulses racing or win any international design contests.
Here's the domestic business class, above and below...
... plus row upon row of short-haul 2-4-2 economy seats.
The lie-flat business class seats in ANA's international 787 configuration are more appealing, if still looking a bit "mass-produced modular plastic".
Here they are in real life.
David Parker Brown, airlinereporter.com
Japan's JAL may have been second in the Dreamliner delivery stakes, but its polished 787 business class is more of what we'd expect to see in this next-generation jet.
The brown-meets-beige-meets-stripes in JAL's 787 economy? Not quite so much.
But we'd suggest that even the uninspiring business class seats from Boeing's own 787 demonstrator (below), which visited Australia last week on the final leg of its global Dream Tour, outclass Air India's effort.
And now, back to Air India's Boeing 787 business class.
Are we being too harsh on Air India? Don't hold back on your comments – we can take it, and we're sure Air India can too!
For more news, reviews and the very latest info for business travellers, follow us on Twitter: we're @AusBT.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
24 Oct 2011
Total posts 160
OMG...im speechless
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
23 May 2012
Total posts 268
I have to agree! I hope I am not flying Air India 787. Shocking...
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
It's very Indian.
I don't think Economy looks too bad, but definitely a disappointing effort. Mind you, very few 787's will look any different to the rest of the airline's fleet in reality, so it's hardly a surprise.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Nov 2011
Total posts 243
the colour of sarees or curry on the seats.
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 5
What do you mean by "it's very Indian" ?
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
What do you think I mean?
The colours and style reflect the sort of style and tastes that I have seen displayed in a very broad cross section of Indian culture and society during the several trips that I've made to the country.
That's no different to me describing BA's newish First Class seats as being very British, or the hard white plastic seats of the Japanese carriers as being very Japanese.
There's no need to be quite so defensive or jump to rash conclusions about the true meaning of our comments. Just go and have a look at some of what is being said about Qantas and you'll realise that it has nothing to do with India and everything to do with the fact that we're just a bunch of grumpy middle aged/old people who like to complain.
09 Nov 2011
Total posts 88
Is this how they saved money from the delayed deliveries???
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
23 May 2012
Total posts 268
I thought so too, but Air India denied that. They said these seats were to show the Indian flavour. I would like to remind them that they are planning to fly these planes internationally.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2011
Total posts 232
Yup, it is disgusting.
Surely this plane will be up for sale soon anyway since I understand AirIndia is close to broke, one of the reasons being that staff have a tendancy to pilfer company items.
But I doubt anyone would steal those seats.
27 Sep 2011
Total posts 6
Spot on with 'Disgusting' fxdxdy - The indians aren't exactly known for exceptional taste in colour schemes or subtleness :)) ... Mind you if i hadnt been paid in 3-4 months I'd be looking to pilfer everything that was and wasnt bolted down too.
I'm not sure i would want to try a Cavier Biryani even if washed down with Moet though ;)
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 5
That is like saying Australians are not known for hard work consistent with their high wages which could be why Qantas could go broke. Oh wait, Qantas IS broke !
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2011
Total posts 232
Loosing money is not the same as being broke.
I'll let you ponder that for a while.
I struggled to find out much about Air India's profits, probably because it hasn't ever had any. Actually, it looks like it has been receiving handouts since, well, forever:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_India#Financial_unrest
I have no idea about their staff wages or conditions or how hard they work but I do understand they don't like NRIs from Australia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_India#Criticism_and_controversy
It is a shame to be honest. I work with a very proud Indian and we always talk about property in Mumbai, Bollywood films and ofcourse the cricket. He was able to return home over the summer break and before he went we were disussing his trip. He was really looking forward to going through Dubai with Emirates which seemed odd to me since he is normally proud of anything Indian.
I asked him why he wasn't going travel on the new Air India 787.
His reply was 'Are you kidding, they will crash it and I will die'.
I guess their poor reputation is both domestic and international.
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 5
Where is your proof Air India is close to going broke ? Where is your proof the staff steal company items as a cause ?
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 5
...and yet it is Qantas who is broke, begging for handouts with a large bowl. Maybe you should contact Joyce and alert him him to staff theft of company items as a cause ?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Mar 2012
Total posts 43
How can they ruin such an innocent airliner? *sigh*
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
I think I just threw up!
25 Feb 2012
Total posts 78
wow! I hope those things are not classed as sacred!
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 5
Not as sacred as the far too high Qantas staff wages.
20 Jul 2011
Total posts 72
That aside:
- it looks like only the Japanese airlines are going with 8-abreast economy, as Boeing intended. United and Air India are both squashing in 9-abreast. What a shame.
- the interior of that demonstrator? Looks like it's straight out of a porn movie or a rapper's house. Shiny black leather? No thanks.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
These planes were supposed to be delivered in May - any idea what has caused the delay? Are there still technical issues or is it just a paperwork delay?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
05 Jan 2012
Total posts 335
3rd best in service so far - for only one reason - there is only three in service
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Jun 2013
Total posts 29
I hope they're comfortable because god, they're ugly!
As a frequent traveller to India I will use them for at least 1 trip to try them if it means a shorter haul than the current one via Singapore but they're going to have to be good to keep me away from SQ.
British Airways - Executive Club
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 2
What on earth were they thinking?
So they have a beautiful aircraft on the outside and 'dump' seats with as much appeal as something you might step in is a joke... come Air India!
Passenegers these days are a lot more demanding and it won't be long before they start going else where to get their monies worth. I for one would not consider spending the sort of money for a longhaul business class and get something like that, it's easy to understand why the likes of Emirates are so popular!
30 May 2015
Total posts 2
The trains in India do get stuff robbed by the staff and I wouldn't be surprised if air India cabin crew pilfer what ever they can whenever they can. If you are Indian raj then you obviously know that 90% of the population try and make an extra buck wherever they can. Ethics go straight out the window. Or maybe it's just in civil service. I know one thing for fact air Indias cabin crew (not the pilots) are the only ones at ANY international airport in the world traveling with huge suitcases for an overnight stay. Any airport. Every single time.
30 May 2015
Total posts 2
And the seats are disgusting, this is what planes looked like in the early 80's
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