Will Consider Air India's Biz Strategy, Other Factors Before Deciding On Additional Fund Requests: Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines on Thursday said its board will carefully consider Air India's any requests for additional capital after taking into consideration the group's other capital requirements as well as the Indian carrier's business strategy.

The comments from Singapore Airlines come against the backdrop of the loss-making Air India seeking additional funds of $1.5 billion from its co-owners -- Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines. Besides, a Singapore Parliamentarian has raised concerns about Singapore Airlines providing more funding for Air India.

In Air India, which was acquired by the Tata Group in January 2022, Singapore Airlines currently holds a 25.1% stake.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) said that as a significant minority shareholder, it works with Tata Sons to support Air India's transformation programme.

"SIA's board will carefully consider any requests for additional capital from Air India, taking into consideration the Group's other capital requirements and Air India's business strategy," an SIA spokesperson told PTI in a statement.

According to the spokesperson, SIA Group's capital allocation follows a disciplined evaluation process that considers its operating cash flow, investment requirements in new aircraft and products, as well as multi-hub investments such as Air India, to support sustainable long-term growth and returns.

In a social media post this week, Singapore's Member of Parliament Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat cited a media report and flagged concerns about Singapore Airlines investing more in Air India.

"Air India has asked its owners for another $1.5 billion. Singapore Airlines owns about a quarter of it, and Temasek owns most of Singapore Airlines, so this is not only a question for private shareholders. Whichever of the two writes the cheque, it will have a significant impact on Temasek," he said in a Facebook post.

Temasek is the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore.

According to Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat, Tata Sons' chairman has said the turnaround could take up to a decade, and one of the sources in the report expects the capital calls to keep coming for years yet.

"That same chairman steps down in February, after disagreements the report links partly to Air India's losses. SIA went into the red last quarter despite record revenue.

"No one, least of all Singaporeans, owes Air India a living. I will not support, nor expect, any future use of Temasek's funds to prop up Air India via Singapore Airlines. If Singapore Airlines wants to continue its bet on Air India, it should do so on its own two feet, and not on Temasek's," he said.

Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat said he has also filed a question for oral answer from Singapore's Minister of Transport whether these losses have been assessed against SIA's capacity to provide essential transport services, and whether they engage the notification duty that comes with SIA's designated status under the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore Act.

The question is scheduled to be taken up during the Parliament's sitting on September 8.

There was no comments from Air India regarding the funding requirement as well as the concerns raised by the Singapore Parliamentarian.

Sources said Air India is planning to seek additional funds to the tune of $1.5 billion, which is over ₹14,000 crore at the current exchange rate.

Singapore Airlines Group's net profit dropped 57% to SGD 1.184 billion (nearly ₹8,900 crore) in the fiscal year ended March 2026, mainly due to the absence of a prior-year one-off accounting gain related to the Vistara merger, and Air India losses.

Air India's loss stood at more than SGD 3.56 billion (over ₹26,700 crore) in the financial year ended March 2026, as the carrier grappled with the fallout of airspace curbs and other headwinds.

The figures were disclosed by Singapore Airlines Group in its annual financial report for 2025-26, released in May. The rupee figures are based on the exchange rate of May 14.

Air India, which has embarked on an ambitious transformation plan, has also been witnessing multiple headwinds in recent times, including the fatal crash of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft in June 2025 that killed 260 people.

Also, former Ethiopian Airlines Group chief Tewolde Gebremariam will soon take over as the CEO and MD of Air India in place of Campbell Wilson, who will be leaving the airline next month.

In July, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said Air India's transformation journey must be seen as a five- to ten-year journey considering the years-long supply chain disruptions in key components, the need to overhaul the legacy systems, culture, fleet and creation of a large cadre of airline professionals.

While mentioning that significant progress has been made in the transformation journey, he had also said every great airline in history was built over decades, not quarters.

"Air space closures; West Asia conflict-driven fuel price hikes and foreign exchange fluctuations; and the crash of AI171 made it the most challenging year for Air India. At every stage, Air India's teams responded with resilience and adaptability," he had said in his letter in the Tata Sons Annual Report for 2025-26.

He is also the Chairman of Air India.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Chandrasekaran announced he would step down as Tata Sons Chairman when his current term ends in February 2027.