When Air India returned to the Tata Group in 2022, one of the airline’s biggest priorities was rebuilding its fleet and restoring world‑class operational capability. Among the inherited legacy fleet of 113 aircraft were 30 widebody and narrowbody aircraft that had remained long‑grounded and untouched for years. Post-privatisation, Air India committed significant resources to revive each of them.
With the return of VT‑ALL, the last of the 30 grounded aircraft, a Boeing 777‑300ER, the final chapter of this massive revival effort is now complete.

A comeback six years in the making

VT‑ALL had been grounded since February 2020 due to multiple unserviceable systems and aging components. In April 2025, Air India initiated efforts to bring it back to full operational life to support long‑haul expansion. The aircraft entered the AIESL Nagpur MRO facility in May 2025, beginning an intensive, nose‑to‑tail restoration programme.

The scale of the task was exceptional:

·3,000+ new key components installed – an undertaking rarely seen outside of deep structural overhauls

· 4,000+ maintenance tasks completed, including 80 mandated modifications such as the complex Longeron Modification, a crucial structural reinforcement

· Replacement of major assemblies including engines, APU, inlet & fan cowls, and thrust reverser cowls

· A full systems rebuild – covering air-conditioning, landing gear, hydraulics, oxygen, avionics, and engine systems – essentially reconstructing the aircraft’s functional backboneEach part replacement, system restoration, and structural repair underwent stringent testing, documentation, and regulatory oversight by DGCA, with technical guidance from Boeing. Skilled engineering teams worked nearly round the clock to bring the aircraft back to life.

A collaborative engineering triumph

The revival of VT‑ALL was driven by seamless coordination across Air India’s base maintenance, planning, technical services, procurement and supply chain, Project Management Office (PMO) powerplant, Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO), and quality assurance teams. Their combined effort ensured the aircraft was restored in record time and to the highest safety and performance standards.

VT-ALL takes to the skies again

VT-ALL has met with all the regulatory safety compliances in its path of restoration, including successfully completing the ‘Test Flight’ of the aircraft. It has also been accorded the Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) – a mandatory certification of the safety parameters for an aircraft to commence regular operations.

Symbolic of Air India’s renewed engineering excellence

With VT‑ALL’s return, Air India has successfully revived every single one of the 30 previously grounded aircraft. These aircraft, now fully operational, stand as proof of India’s growing capabilities in high‑complexity aircraft maintenance and Air India’s unwavering commitment to engineering excellence.