Air India has introduced a multicourse fine dining service for Business Class passengers on its long-haul and ultra-long-haul international flights, starting with services connecting India and the UK.
The enhanced dining experience has been launched on flights to and from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Birmingham. Air India plans to progressively extend the service across its Airbus A350, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Boeing 777-300 aircraft, expanding the premium offering to other international routes.
The initiative is part of the airline’s broader transformation programme to strengthen its premium positioning and bring its onboard hospitality in line with international service standards.
Restaurant-style dining in the skies
The new service replaces the conventional tray-based meal presentation with a restaurant-inspired multicourse format, allowing Business Class passengers to enjoy their meals at a more leisurely pace.
The experience features linen-clad tables, individually plated courses and dedicated tableware for appetisers, main courses and desserts. The service combines refined presentation with personalised attention and greater flexibility, bringing elements of restaurant-style dining to long-haul air travel.
The airline said the new format has been designed to showcase its cuisine while reflecting its approach to premium hospitality, combining contemporary service standards with the warmth of Indian hospitality.
“At Air India, we are continually reimagining every aspect of the customer experience. The introduction of our fine dining-style, course-by-course meal service in Business Class is another step in our broader Air India transformation journey, creating a globally benchmarked premium travel experience while remaining rooted in the warmth and authenticity of Indian hospitality,” said Air India Chief Customer Experience Officer Rajesh Dogra.
He added that the initiative would further elevate onboard hospitality through thoughtful design, refined presentation and personalised service.
Bespoke tableware celebrates Indian craftsmanship
The enhanced dining service is accompanied by a new collection of bespoke tableware designed for Air India’s Vista Verve service.
The collection includes dedicated plates for appetisers, main courses, snacks, desserts and cheese, along with a signature glass and a specially designed espresso cup. The coordinated tableware is intended to create a distinctive dining identity throughout the meal.
A key feature is the Martaban-inspired cruet set, modelled on traditional Indian jars used to preserve flavours and family recipes across generations. Reimagined for contemporary inflight dining, the design seeks to combine cultural familiarity with modern elegance and bring an element of Indian heritage to the onboard experience.
Premium experience backed by fleet investments
The dining upgrade builds on Air India’s investments in its food and beverage offerings, including refreshed menus, an award-winning wine selection, enhanced tea offerings and service innovations aimed at improving comfort on long-haul journeys.
These initiatives complement the airline’s fleet modernisation programme, which includes the induction of new Airbus A350 aircraft and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners built for Air India, alongside the refurbishment of existing single-aisle and twin-aisle aircraft with upgraded cabins and interiors.
By combining improvements in onboard dining, cabin products and service delivery, Air India is seeking to establish a more consistent premium experience across its international network as it competes with established global carriers for long-haul travellers.