Air India Plans Leadership Reset, Tata Reviews CEO Wilson

Tata Sons has begun a global hunt for senior aviation leadership as it reassesses Air India’s future, reflecting unease over execution speed and operational performance.

Group chairman N Chandrasekaran has held discussions with chief executives of at least two leading international carriers in the UK and the US, evaluating potential successors to Air India chief executive Campbell Wilson, officials familiar with the matter said.

While Wilson’s term runs until June 2027, people close to the development said Air India could see a leadership change well before that date. Similar transitions are expected at Air India Express, where chief executive Aloke Singh’s tenure ends in 2027.

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Chandrasekaran, who also chairs Air India, is understood to be personally driving the succession process and has conducted reviews with Wilson in recent months. Tata Sons declined to comment.

Wilson, who joined Air India in July 2022, outlined a five-year transformation plan after the airline returned to the Tata fold. His tenure has delivered mixed results. The merger of Vistara into Air India was completed smoothly, while fleet expansion helped the airline gain share on key metro routes.

However, prolonged global supply chain disruptions delayed aircraft deliveries and refurbishment, hurting service standards and punctuality. “We should have received 28 brand new aircraft by now. But the actual number of new aircraft designed by and for Air India that we have received is zero. So, we have been impacted by supply chain challenges,” Wilson said.

Regulatory scrutiny intensified after a fatal crash last year and subsequent DGCA show-cause notices. Financial pressure has also mounted, with Air India and Air India Express posting a combined loss of `10,859 crore in FY25, underscoring Tata Sons’ push for stronger execution, leadership depth and customer focus.