Overview
- Group chairman N. Chandrasekaran has held informal talks with at least two UK- and US-based airline CEOs about succeeding Campbell Wilson, with a change possible before his June 2027 term ends, according to multiple reports.
- The leadership review also covers Air India Express, where a CEO transition is being evaluated even though Aloke Singh’s tenure runs to 2027.
- Key drivers cited include dissatisfaction with execution speed, supply-chain delays that stalled aircraft deliveries and cabin refits, and FY25 combined losses of Rs 10,859 crore for Air India and Air India Express.
- Regulatory scrutiny intensified after the June 2025 Ahmedabad Boeing 787 crash, with the DGCA issuing show-cause notices to senior executives including Wilson for alleged compliance lapses.
- Some reports say Wilson is unlikely to get a contract extension and that any announcement could follow the crash investigation’s final report expected by June, while accounts differ on whether he told the board he will not continue beyond 2027.