Air India Upgrades Mumbai-Frankfurt with New B787-9, Expands Saudi Codeshare

"These upgrades reflect Air India's ongoing fleet transformation, which will see additional widebody deliveries and retrofits throughout 2026, delivering modernised interiors to a significant portion of the long-haul fleet", says the press release by Air India.

Air India maintains an active codeshare partnership with Lufthansa, which enables the passengers to take connections beyond Frankfurt to 29 destinations across Europe and select points in North America and South America.

Air India has also recently signed a codeshare agreement with Saudia Group, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. "The agreement introduces a range of benefits for Air India's and Saudia's guests, boosting connectivity, enhancing travel experience, strengthening network access, maximising flight options, and supporting growing demand across tourism, business travel, and wider guest segments", says Air India in its press release.

People travelling to Middle East will now be able to take flights to Jeddah or Riyadh with Air India and onward connections on Saudia-operated flights to Dammam, Abha, Gassim, Gizan, Madinah, and Taif, the release stated.

The codeshare will also provide Saudia's passengers access to major cities across India via Mumbai and Delhi, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, and Jaipur and more than 15 other destinations as interline.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said, "Saudi Arabia is amongst our most important markets in the Middle East, with the country fast transforming into a major international gateway to the region. We are happy to be partnering with Saudia to provide greater access to the large Indian diaspora spread across Saudi Arabia as well as to open up the Kingdom's rapidly evolving and diverse tourism offerings and remarkable destinations to holidaymakers from India."

H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, said, "The codeshare agreement with Air India marks a strategic step forward, given both airlines' long histories and their shared commitment to increasing connectivity within their home markets and between their countries, while offering guests broader access to more destinations through simplified travel procedures that elevate the overall travel experience."

- ANI