Air India has broken ground for a new multi-facility maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hangar at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), as the airline seeks to strengthen its in-house aircraft maintenance capabilities, improve fleet reliability and reduce aircraft downtime.
Spread across nine acres, the facility is designed to accommodate one widebody and one narrowbody aircraft simultaneously. It will enable the airline to centralise key engineering and maintenance activities at its largest hub, bringing critical functions under direct operational oversight.
The project marks another milestone in Air India’s transformation journey, with improved maintenance efficiency expected to strengthen operational performance and enhance passenger experience.
Faster aircraft turnaround
The new hangar will integrate aircraft inspections, cabin upkeep and defect rectification to reduce the time aircraft spend on the ground. The centralisation of these activities is expected to improve fleet availability and help the airline manage maintenance requirements more efficiently.
Integrated engineering offices and an on-site spare parts warehouse will streamline workflows and reduce logistics costs. Direct access to technical teams and spare parts is also expected to accelerate the recovery of aircraft grounded due to technical issues, helping minimise operational disruptions.
A dedicated Cabin Shop will undertake repairs to aircraft interiors, enabling faster turnaround of cabin-related maintenance work while reducing dependence on third-party vendors.
Designed for next-generation aircraft
The facility has been designed with long-term scalability in mind. It will feature a clear height of 25 metres and large column-free spans to accommodate next-generation aircraft.
The project will incorporate advanced fire protection systems and adhere to stringent safety standards. It will also follow Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Green Building norms, with provisions for energy and water conservation, in line with Air India’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments.
By expanding its in-house maintenance infrastructure, Air India aims to strengthen control over critical engineering operations while contributing to the development of India’s aviation maintenance ecosystem.
Senior executives attend groundbreaking
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India, along with senior executives from the airline and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).
The attendees included P Balaji, Group Head – Governance, Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Affairs, Air India; Basil Kwauk, Chief Operations Officer, Air India; Jeremy Yew, Senior Vice President – Engineering & Maintenance, Air India; Manomay Rai, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, DIAL; Vijay K Sharma, Vice President and Head – Aviation Services Business, DIAL; and Deepika Sharma, AGM – Aero Related, Commercial Aero, DIAL.
The new hangar is expected to strengthen Air India’s maintenance infrastructure at Delhi, supporting more efficient aircraft operations as the airline works to improve fleet reliability and deliver a more consistent travel experience.