Air India CEO Under Review as Tata Group Assesses Likely Leadership Change

Tata Sons is weighing a change at the top of Air India as questions grow over performance and future direction. Group chairman N Chandrasekaran has begun sounding out potential replacements, even though current Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has a contract that runs until June 2027.

According to people cited in a report by The Economic Times, Chandrasekaran has already spoken with chief executives of at least two major airlines based in the UK and the US. These conversations form part of a broader review of the Air India CEO role and the wider leadership structure across Tata’s aviation portfolio.

Air India CEO search linked to leadership review at Tata airlines

According to media reports, similar assessments are taking place at Air India Express, where CEO Aloke Singh’s term is also due to end in 2027. Tata Sons is said to be evaluating what kind of leadership is needed across all its airline businesses as they move from consolidation and integration towards the next growth phase.

Media reports quoted by the newspaper said Chandrasekaran, who also serves as Air India chairman, is dissatisfied with the speed of change visible to passengers and staff. The on-ground transformation and execution of plans are reportedly not matching expectations, prompting closer scrutiny of the Air India CEO position and the wider management team.

Air India CEO role under pressure from safety, regulatory issues

Air India’s leadership has been under sharper scrutiny since a crash near Ahmedabad last year that killed 260 people. A preliminary investigation did not find defects in the aircraft or in Air India’s engineering systems, yet senior government officials chose to speak directly with Tata Group’s top management rather than Wilson after the incident.

This move is seen within the group as weakening the standing of the Air India CEO, the report said. In addition, Wilson and other senior executives have received show-cause notices from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for alleged regulatory violations, including an instance where an aircraft was operated with an expired licence.

Financial strain adds urgency to Air India CEO discussions

Pressure on the Air India CEO position has been intensified by financial strain. Pakistan’s airspace closure has forced detours on several routes, lengthening flight times, raising fuel costs and eroding margins on long-haul operations. These factors have compounded existing challenges around efficiency and profitability.

For FY25, Air India and Air India Express together posted a loss of Rs 10,859 crore on revenue of Rs 78,636 crore. The Economic Times said this made the two airlines the biggest loss-making entities within the Tata Group, adding further urgency to the leadership review now underway.

Transformation progress shapes debate around Air India CEO

Wilson, a New Zealander, took charge of Air India in July 2022 and set out a five-year plan to rebuild the airline and improve its finances. Under this transformation agenda, several structural steps have gone through smoothly, including the merger of Vistara into Air India and an expansion of fleet and capacity.

On some busy metro routes, Air India even overtook IndiGo at times, according to the Economic Times report. Yet the overall outcomes of the overhaul have been mixed. Global supply chain disruption has slowed aircraft deliveries and delayed refurbishment of older jets, which has affected service standards and punctuality, particularly on Europe and North America routes.

The report quoted Wilson highlighting the extent of these delays. "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," Wilson was quoted as saying by the Economic Times.

People aware of internal discussions told the newspaper that Chandrasekaran has held frequent performance review meetings with Wilson in recent months. Tata Sons declined to comment. A person close to Wilson said the Air India CEO is involved in succession planning and has told the board that Wilson may not stay beyond 2027, but group officials denied that any such board-level conversation has happened, saying the review is being steered directly by Chandrasekaran.

With consolidation, integration and brand revival after the airline’s return to the Tata fold largely completed, the group is now focused on shaping the next stage of growth. The ongoing assessment of the Air India CEO role, along with reviews at Air India Express, signals that leadership choices will be central to how Tata’s aviation strategy develops over the coming years.