Air India to shift aircraft maintenance from Turkish Technic, to retrofit 13 legacy A321 ceo planes

Air India plans to shift the heavy maintenance of its wide-body aircraft from Turkish Technic to other maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers after the recent developments involving Turkiye, Chief Executive Campbell Wilson said.

India’s aviation security regulator, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), revoked the security clearance of Turkish company Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd, citing national security concerns in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan conflict.

The decision follows Turkiye’s support for Pakistan and its condemnation of India’s strikes on militant camps in May.

On May 30, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted IndiGo a three-month extension to phase out the damp lease of two Boeing 777s from Turkish Airlines by August 31.

Wilson acknowledging the global nature of the aviation supply chain, Wilson asserted that Air India is “obviously sensitive to the national sentiment and perhaps the national wishes.”

“So, regardless of which country we are talking about, we would clearly take cognisance of what people like us to do and expect us to do," he told PTI in an interview.

Wilson said that the airline, in the short term, would redirect maintenance to facilities in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the United States.

Air India’s fleet includes 191 aircraft, comprising 64 wide-body planes (6 A350s, 19 B777-300 ERs, 5 B777-200 LRs, 7 B787-9s, and 27 B787-8s) and 127 narrow-body planes (6 A319s, 94 A320 neos, 4 A320 ceos, 13 A321 ceos, and 10 A321 neos).

Heavy maintenance for some B777s and B787s is currently performed by Turkish Technic, but Wilson said transitioning to other MRO providers would take time due to limited domestic capacity in India.

"With this most recent development, we will look to recalibrate where we sent our aircraft, reduce the amount that we are sending to Turkiye and send it to other places.

"But that does take some time because aircraft have to be maintained... we are cognisant of recent developments and we will look to adjust our plans," he said.

Wilson told PTI that 65-68% of its narrow-body fleet has been refurbished, with completion expected by year-end.

Air India has decided to extend the service life of 13 A321 ceo aircraft, previously slated for retirement, with upgrades planned for early next year.

For wide-body aircraft, a retrofit program is underway, with two B777s already refreshed and the first B787-8 set for refurbishment in July.

Around 68% of the wide-body fleet is expected to be upgraded by March 2026, with full completion by 2027.

Wilson noted that global supply chain constraints, affecting aircraft deliveries and upgrades, are easing but will persist until 2029 or 2030.

“I think it (supply chain situation) is getting progressively better. There are still constraints in a number of areas... it is progressively getting better over the years but it will still take I believe until 2029 or 2030,” he said, citing challenges with engine availability for narrow-body aircraft and Boeing’s 737 production recovery.