Air India earns Skytrax 4-star rating as passenger experience transformation gains momentum

Air India’s elevation from 3-star to 4-Star status follows a comprehensive transformation spanning fleet modernisation, product upgrades, digital innovation, on-ground experience, and service culture enhancements, among several other aspects combining to deliver a significantly improved passenger experience across touchpoints.

The transformational changes have also translated into a consistently improving customer feedback and sentiment. Air India’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) - a key measure of customer advocacy - has improved by more than 70 points, rising from -35 in late 2022 to nearly +40 today, reflecting tangible gains in areas that matter most to passengers. On Air India’s flagship A350s and B787-9s, the NPS is consistently in the high 60s.

Skytrax is the world’s leading international air transport rating organisation, and its star ratings are widely regarded as a global benchmark for airline quality. The 4-Star Airline Rating recognises airlines delivering strong, consistent performance across product and service throughout the customer journey.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said: “This 4-Star rating from Skytrax is an important recognition of the progress we have made in transforming Air India into a more modern, customer-focused airline. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of over 24,000 Air India employees who have embraced this transformation with commitment and pride. While this milestone reflects how far we have come, it also strengthens our resolve to continue raising the bar, with a clear ambition to achieve a 5-Star rating in due course as we build a world-class global airline with an Indian heart.”

The Skytrax audit evaluates the entire customer journey, covering airport processes, lounge experience, onboard product, food and beverage, and the quality and consistency of service. The 4-Star certification reflects holistic, sustained improvements across all touchpoints, rather than isolated enhancements.

Fleet upgrades: At the core of Air India’s transformation is an ambitious fleet modernisation programme, including the induction of India’s first Airbus A350 as well as brand-new Boeing 787-9s with made-for-Air India interiors, the completed retrofit and return to service of 27 retrofitted A320neo with all-new cabin interiors, and the ongoing retrofit of nearly 40 retrofitted legacy Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 777 now underway. In just four years, Air India’s upgraded fleet has grown to over 120 aircraft, 66% of its full-service fleet, significantly enhancing passenger experience across its network.

On the ground: Air India has reimagined its airport and lounge experience, with new, redesigned lounges in Delhi, Bengaluru, and San Francisco, with more to follow in other parts of the world. Across airports, improvements such as streamlined boarding, self-service check-in, and digital tools have made journeys more seamless.

Reimagined onboard experience: The airline has also comprehensively redesigned its onboard experience. Every cabin crew member has undergone rigorous retraining to the standards of the new Air India, alongside the induction of over 5,000 newly recruited cabin crew. This is complemented by a complete refresh of the soft product, including inflight meals and beverages, bedding, amenities, and more.

Air India’s new inflight entertainment system now offers over 3,000 hours of content on all new and upgraded widebody aircraft, while on narrowbody aircraft, more than 1,250 hours of content is available via Vista Stream, its wireless inflight entertainment service. Inflight connectivity is also being progressively introduced, bringing onboard internet connectivity to customers.

Digital infrastructure and customer support: A complete overhaul of the airline’s digital & IT infrastructure and customer support system has also delivered step-change improvements - introducing an all-new website and a mobile app that stands among the highest-rated airline apps globally, a unified platform supported by a generative AI chatbot handling over 14 million interactions, reducing call wait times at the airline’s customer contact centre to around 10 seconds, and enabling faster refunds and issue resolution.