Air India CEO Campbell Wilson’s exit reported amid mounting losses and scrutiny.
Safety lapses and regulatory action add pressure following deadly Ahmedabad crash.
Airspace curbs and geopolitical tensions deepen operational and financial challenges.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has resigned, reported Mint citing continued losses and heightened regulatory scrutiny following a crash that happened in Ahmedabad, India on June 12, 2025 and took 260 lives.
This report comes at a time when the airline is contending with delivery delays and persistent losses. Regulators have also reprimanded the airline for safety lapses, including flying an aircraft eight times without an airworthiness certificate and running planes without checking emergency equipment.
1 April 2026
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Mint further reported that Wilson is currently serving his notice period, however the newspaper could not confirm his successor.
According to reports, Wilson’s resignation was accepted at a board meeting last week but he will stay on with the company until a successor is found.
Reuters said in January that Air India's board was looking for a new CEO to take over for Wilson, a former Singapore Airlines veteran who was hired in 2022 to help the airline turn around after years of decline while it was owned by the government.
Air India in December accepted that there was a "need for urgent improvements in process discipline, communication, and compliance culture," according to a Reuters report.
The airline has lost money since Tata bought it in 2022, and things have gotten worse since Pakistan banned Indian airlines from its airspace last year.
A prolonged Iran war could deepen pressure on Air India’s western routes, already curtailed by Pakistan’s restrictions.
Air India is chaired by N Chandrasekaran, the chair of Tata Group. Singapore Airlines has a 25% stake in Air India.
Diversion from Previous Trends
The International Air Transport Association's December 2025 forecast said that 2026 would be a record-breaking year for profit for global aviation industry.
“Airlines are expected to achieve a combined total net profit of $41bn in 2026 (up from $39.5bn in 2025). While this would set a new record, the net profit margin is expected to be unchanged from 2025 at 3.9%. Net profit per passenger transported is expected to be $7.90,” stated the IATA report.
However, the current situation seems less stable. Tensions between countries, airspace restrictions after Iran temporarily closed its airspace in January 2026, and operational problems are putting pressure on specific regions. This shows that global growth projections may not fully show the problems that individual airlines like Air India are facing.
