Air India might soon get a new CEO. The airline’s owner, Tata Sons, has reportedly held discussions with at least two leading UK and US-based international carriers for potential candidates. The selected executive would replace Air India’s current CEO, Campbell Wilson. Here’s everything we know so far about this latest development.
Air India Might Soon Announce A New CEO
According to a report by The Economic Times, Air India is currently reviewing its top management structure. As part of this process, Tata Sons may announce a new CEO. The group’s chairman, N Chandrasekaran, has reportedly held discussions with at least two airlines based in the UK and the US. This indicates that the current CEO, Campbell Wilson, could be replaced.
According to a report by India Today, Campbell Wilson’s current term remains active until 2027. However, the airline could still see a leadership change before that. Similar reviews are also underway at Air India Express, the low-cost airline owned by the Air India Group. The tenure of its CEO, Aloke Singh, is also set to end in 2027.
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Why Air India’s Leadership Is Being Reviewed
Tata Sons is evaluating leadership across all its airline businesses. Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran has also held regular performance review meetings with Campbell Wilson in recent months. A person close to Campbell Wilson shared with The Economic Times that the executive is part of a broader succession planning process. He has reportedly informed the board about his inability to continue beyond 2027. However, Tata Group officials denied this claim and said no such discussions have taken place. They added that the entire leadership transition process is being led directly by the group chairman.
Campbell Wilson, who is from New Zealand, joined Air India in July 2022. At the time, he announced a five-year transformation plan to rebuild the airline and improve its financial performance. During his tenure, several key changes were completed smoothly. This included the merger of Vistara into Air India and the expansion of the airline’s fleet and capacity. Air India also overtook IndiGo on certain metro routes. However, the overall results of his tenure have been mixed.
The airline has faced delays in aircraft deliveries, while the refurbishment of older planes has affected service quality and on-time performance. This was particularly noticeable on long-haul routes to Europe and North America. Air India has also dealt with repeated technical issues involving its wide-body aircraft. The airline has also remained under close scrutiny since the Ahmedabad crash in 2025, which killed 260 people. However, the preliminary investigation did not indicate any fault with the aircraft. After the crash, senior government officials reportedly sidelined Campbell Wilson and dealt directly with Tata Group leadership.
The DGCA has also issued Campbell Wilson show-cause notices for alleged violations and non-compliance. One such incident involved Air India operating an aircraft with an expired licence.
Also Read: Pawsome News! Air India Now Allows Pets Up To 10Kg To Travel In-Cabin; Details Inside
The airline may soon see a new CEO. What do you think about this possible leadership change at Air India? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Cover Image Courtesy: Air India, Wikipedia/ Aeroprints and Air India/ Instagram
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