Air India will begin commercial flights of its new Boeing 787-9 aircraft on the Mumbai-Frankfurt route starting February 1. The new Dreamliner, first custom-made for Air India after the Tata Group takeover, has 296 seats: 30 business class, 28 premium economy, and 238 economy. However, the airline will operate with certain seat limitations. Sources revealed the sliding privacy doors in business class will stay fixed open because they need approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airline spokesperson told PTI, "The sliding privacy doors in our business class suites will remain securely fixed in the open position and unavailable for passenger use, as this specific seat feature awaits regulatory approval. We expect to receive the necessary approval in the near future. All other seat features are available for passenger use." Additionally, 18 particular economy seats are blocked from sale and use, as they also await full FAA certification. The spokesperson added, "The seat product itself (RECARO 3710) is fully certified and in regular operation on many airlines worldwide; however, there is a regulatory interpretation affecting the 18 specific seats that we are working with the manufacturer and regulator to resolve." The FAA declined to comment on the ongoing certification process. Meanwhile, five more wide-body jets — including three Boeing 787-9s and two Airbus A350-1000s — will join Air India’s fleet in 2026. Currently, the airline has 188 planes and is upgrading the older Boeing 787-8s separately. The seat limitations only affect the new B787-9, not the retrofitted B787-8 fleet. The airline said, "These are two different variants, and their interior fitout undergoes a separate certification process." The new Boeing 787-9 is part of Air India's growing fleet, which now includes 33 Boeing 787s, incorporating 26 legacy 787-8s and 7 Boeing 787-9s, including six from Vistara. Some global airlines like Lufthansa also await regulatory approvals for certain business class seats on their Boeing 787-9s.