Air India has begun a review of its chief executive role after Tata Sons initiated leadership evaluations across its airline businesses in January 2026 in India. The process matters now as the group aligns management with ongoing fleet expansion, safety scrutiny, and operational integration plans.
What changed in Air India’s leadership review
Tata Sons has started examining senior leadership roles across Air India Group companies. As part of this process, the conglomerate has held discussions with executives from at least two international airlines based in the UK and the US, according to The Economic Times.
The review includes the role of Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, who has led the airline since July 2022. While his contract runs until 2027, the assessment allows for changes before the term ends. Similar evaluations are underway at Air India Express, whose CEO Aloke Singh also serves until 2027.
Context behind the review process
The airline came under Tata ownership in 2022, following which Campbell Wilson outlined a five-year transformation roadmap. The plan focused on financial recovery, operational scale, and brand consolidation. Since then, the airline has merged Vistara into Air India and expanded its fleet orders and route network.
At the same time, the airline has faced constraints. Aircraft delivery delays have slowed capacity plans. Refurbishment of older planes has affected service reliability, especially on long-haul routes to Europe and North America. Technical issues involving wide-body aircraft have also drawn regulatory attention.
Impact on operations and oversight
Air India has remained under heightened scrutiny since the Ahmedabad crash in 2025 that killed 260 people. Preliminary findings did not point to aircraft failure. However, following the incident, senior government officials reportedly engaged directly with Tata Group leadership instead of airline management.
Separately, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued show-cause notices to Air India under Campbell Wilson’s tenure. One notice involved operating an aircraft with an expired licence. Tata Group officials have stated that leadership reviews are being led by Chairman N. Chandrasekaran and are part of a structured process.
What happens next
The leadership assessment at Air India remains ongoing. No formal announcement on a CEO change has been made. Tata Sons has denied claims that Campbell Wilson informed the board of an early exit. Any decision will follow internal evaluations across the group’s airline businesses.
