Campbell Wilson and the high-stakes reset of Air India

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson

• Little progress made on the market share target of 30% under the five year Vihaan.AI vision

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When Campbell Wilson took charge of Air India in July 2022, expectations were high.  The Tata Group who had taken management control of Air India in January 2022 and a historic order of 470 aircraft had been placed in February 2023, the former Singapore Airlines executive was expected to engineer one of global aviation’s most ambitious turnarounds.

Instead, nearly four years on, Wilson finds himself navigating a convergence of structural weaknesses, external shocks, and operational missteps that have left Air India struggling—and its most important partner, Singapore Airlines (SIA), increasingly exposed.

On Monday, the Economic Times reported that Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran was looking for a successor to Wilson. Willson’s term ends in 2027 but a successor might be in place well before that as per the story.

Emails to Wilson, Air India remained unanswered at the time of publishing this article.

Singapore Airlines’ Costly Bet

Among all stakeholders, none may feel Air India’s turbulence more acutely than Singapore Airlines. In November 2022, SIA agreed to merge Vistara with Air India, committing nearly S$1 billion in investments for a 25.1% stake in the enlarged Air India group, which also includes Air India Express. The deal was positioned as a long-term strategic play: access to India’s fast-growing aviation market paired with operational synergies and brand uplift.

That promise remains largely unrealised. SIA’s profits slumped a record 68% in the six months to September 2025, with losses at Air India emerging as a major drag. Air India itself posted a 48% jump in consolidated losses in FY25 to Rs 10,859 crore, underscoring the depth of the challenge Wilson faces. Instead of becoming a growth engine, Air India has turned into a financial overhang for its global partner.

FY26: A Year of External Shocks

If FY25 exposed Air India’s weak fundamentals, the first half of FY26 compounded them. Two major disruptions—both largely beyond management’s control—hit the airline hard.

The closure of Pakistani airspace following Operation Sindoor in May 2025 forced Air India to suspend or reroute several long-haul services, eroding yields and network efficiency. This was followed by the deadly June 12, 2025, air crash involving an Air India aircraft. The tragedy triggered urgent inspections ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), severely disrupting international operations as aircraft were grounded for checks.

Aviation experts argue that the combination of airspace closures and regulatory inspections has significantly weakened Air India’s financial performance so far in FY26, leaving Wilson with little room to stabilise operations, let alone accelerate growth.

Losing the International Crown

Perhaps the most symbolic setback under Wilson’s leadership has been Air India losing its status as India’s largest international carrier. Low-cost rival IndiGo overtook the Air India group in international passenger numbers during the September quarter, flying 4.13 million passengers compared to Air India’s 4.09 million.

While the margin is narrow, the implications are not. The loss reflects deeper structural issues—unscheduled aircraft groundings, route suspensions, and limited fleet availability—rather than a one-off statistical blip. For an airline that once dominated India’s international skies, slipping behind a low-cost competitor marks a strategic inflection point.

Fleet Delays and Stalled Ambitions

Fleet renewal was supposed to be the backbone of Air India’s revival. Of its massive 570-aircraft order, however, 524 aircraft are still awaiting delivery. Delays from both Airbus and Boeing have forced the airline to retain 17 aircraft originally earmarked for retirement. These older planes are now being retrofitted to extend service life, a stopgap measure that adds cost and operational complexity.

The knock-on effects are visible in market share. Under its five-year transformation plan titled Vihaan.AI announced in 2022, Air India aimed to lift domestic market share to 30%. More than halfway into the plan, progress has been modest at best. Market share has edged up only marginally—from 25.9% in October 2022 to 26.7% in November 2025.

IndiGo, by contrast, has surged from 56.3% to 64.4% over the same period, widening the gap and raising questions about whether Air India’s strategy can realistically counter the scale and efficiency of its largest rival.

Operational Lapses and Reputational Strain

Compounding financial and competitive pressures are persistent operational lapses. In November, Air India reportedly operated flights on an aircraft that lacked the mandatory safety and compliance certificate. The airline later admitted that its engineers had failed to verify the documentation—a serious procedural failure that intensified scrutiny from regulators and the public.

These lapses come on top of ongoing passenger complaints about delays, broken seats, and non-functional in-flight entertainment systems. For Wilson, who has emphasised culture and process reform, such incidents undermine the narrative of a disciplined, safety-first transformation.

A Turnaround Still in Question

Campbell Wilson’s tenure at Air India has been marked by ambition, scale, and unprecedented investment. Yet execution has been undercut by delayed fleet deliveries, operational weaknesses, regulatory shocks, and fierce competition.

The financial strain on Singapore Airlines highlights how Air India’s struggles now have international ramifications.

The turnaround is far from over, but the margin for error is shrinking. For Wilson, or his successor, the next phase will be critical—not just to restore Air India’s balance sheet, but to prove that the airline can finally convert promise into performance in one of the world’s most competitive aviation markets.