Air India looks for new leaders, in discussions to replace CEO Campbell Wilson: Report

Tata Sons, the owner of Air India, is reportedly intensifying efforts to find new leaders for its airlines business. Group chairman N Chandrasekaran has reportedly held discussions with chief executives from major international carriers based in the United Kingdom and the United States as potential successors to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson.

According to a report in The Economic Times, the urgency for new leadership arises from concerns over the pace of progress and operational improvements at Air India, despite Wilson's term ending in June 2027.

The search for leadership changes is not limited to Air India's flagship operations. Air India Express, the group's low-cost carrier, is also expected to see new leadership, the report added. Current CEO Aloke Singh's tenure ends in 2027, and a leadership change at Air India may occur before Wilson's term expires, it stated.

Chairman Chandrasekaran has held regular performance review meetings with Wilson in recent months to improve execution and customer focus. Tata Sons has not commented on these discussions. A source close to Wilson stated that he is part of the succession planning and has informed the board of his inability to continue beyond 2027, the report added. However, group officials denied that such discussions have taken place at the board level.

The leadership transition is being led directly by the group chairman. Wilson, who joined Air India in July 2022, introduced a five-year transformation plan aimed at positioning the airline as a global competitor and improving its finances. While some milestones have been achieved, challenges remain.

Among the achievements, the merger of Vistara into Air India was completed efficiently, and the fleet was expanded significantly, at times surpassing market leader IndiGo on select metro routes. However, the transformation faced delays due to a global supply chain crisis, affecting the arrival of new aircraft and refurbishment of the existing fleet. Service standards and on-time performance have suffered, especially in international operations, the report stated.

Wilson recently said that they should have received 28 brand new aircraft by now but the actual number of new aircraft designed by and for Air India they received is zero.

Meanwhile, there has been increased scrutiny following the crash last year that resulted in 260 fatalities. Although a preliminary investigation found no fault with the airline's engineering or aircraft, senior government officials began liaising directly with Tata group leadership instead of Wilson. This shift, along with regulatory actions such as show-cause notices from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for alleged violations, has complicated leadership continuity, the report stated.