Air India has significantly expanded its selection of premium wines, sparkling wines, and spirits for passengers, with Prosecco introduced as the welcome drink in Premium Economy class, according to an announcement by Federvini, the Italian wine and spirits producers’ federation.
The enhanced beverage program features an expanded range of champagne and single malt whiskies, alongside Italian wines including Brunello di Montalcino. New categories such as tequila and beer have also been added to the carrier’s offering. The airline has additionally introduced a program linking wine selections to flight destinations, along with a structured food-and-wine pairing system.
“The carefully curated beverage portfolio brings together some of the finest wines and spirits to appeal to global travelers, as Air India continues to focus on service excellence and customer care,” said Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Air India, explaining that the beverage overhaul aims to better meet the preferences of international travelers.
According to Federvini, the update is also a result of the recent trade agreement reached between the European Union and India, which provides for significant reductions in tariffs on imported European wines and spirits.
Unione Italiana Vini (UIV), the Italian wine industry’s organization, had already expressed considerable satisfaction with the EU-India partnership signed in late January in New Delhi, describing it as a strategic opportunity for Italian wine within the world’s most populous country.
Federal import duties, currently set at 150%, will be immediately halved and then progressively reduced to 30% within seven years (20% for wines priced above €10 per bottle). A separate agreement is also planned for the protection of branded productions. Currently, Italian wine exports to India stand at €2.6 million (€7.7 million from the entire EU).
“This partnership offers a commercial opportunity in a market with a rapidly rising middle class,” stated UIV President Lamberto Frescobaldi, “but above all, it represents a clear and positive reaction by the EU to the geoeconomic tensions suffered by the Old Continent. Italian wine desperately needs open trade policies to further diversify a range of action that is still limited, considering that 60% of its exports are concentrated in just five countries.”
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