Mumbai, May 22: Air India’s current CEO, Campbell Wilson, has stated that the next four years will be as challenging for the airline as previous years. Factors such as the closure of Pakistani airspace, crises in the Middle East, and the strength of the dollar will pose significant hurdles for the incoming CEO.
During an event in New York, Wilson announced that he would be stepping down in the next two months. He emphasized that while the challenges ahead will mirror those of the past, the approach to tackling them will differ.
Wilson pledged to assist in ensuring a smooth transition and expressed the desire to appoint the “right person” to face these challenges. Air India is currently grappling with substantial losses and has faced several safety-related incidents, including a tragic crash of its 787 Dreamliner in June 2025, which resulted in numerous fatalities. The airline has had to cancel thousands of flights due to the Iran conflict and airspace restrictions imposed by Pakistan.
As a result, the company has reduced flights on profitable international routes to North America, leading to longer travel times and increased costs amid rising fuel prices. Wilson noted, “We can no longer fly over many parts of the Gulf, which means we have to take longer routes. The flight from Delhi to London, which used to take eight and a half hours, now takes 12 hours.”
He also highlighted that prior to the U.S.-Iran conflict, fuel costs accounted for 34% of expenses, but this figure has now doubled. In addition to company-specific challenges such as growth and employee relations, the new CEO will need to address global aviation issues like airspace closures and fluctuating fuel prices.
“The groundwork has been laid, but obviously, when you bring in aircraft, you will be operating on a large scale very soon,” he added. Reports indicate that Air India has faced criticism for safety lapses, including operating flights without valid flight qualification certificates and failing to properly inspect emergency equipment.
During the U.S.-Iran conflict, Air India canceled nearly 2,500 flights to West Asia within three weeks and operated only 30% of its normal schedule to the Middle East.
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