Tewolde Gebremariam, a seasoned aviation professional with extensive experience at Ethiopian Airlines, has been named the new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India. He is tasked with leading the airline's ambitious five-year transformation plan, Vihaan.AI, aimed at achieving significant growth and profitability, marking him as the second foreign national to helm Air India under Tata Group ownership.
Air India has announced the appointment of Tewolde Gebremariam, former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, replacing Campbell Wilson. This strategic appointment comes as the airline navigates expansion amidst significant challenges.
Air India Group anticipates the delivery of 50-60 new aircraft within the next 18 months, with its ambitious transformation programme progressing despite global challenges like supply chain issues and geopolitical tensions, according to Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal.
Air India has temporarily reduced its domestic flights by 22 per cent due to the impact of high fuel prices, following a previous reduction in international flights. The airline is offering re-accommodation, date changes, or refunds to affected passengers.
Loss-making Air India has introduced a new 'Basic Fare' category for select domestic flights, which does not include complimentary meals, as part of its efforts to trim expenses amid rising operational costs.
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran addressed Air India employees, acknowledging the airline's challenging phase while reaffirming the Tata Group's commitment to its long-term transformation, focusing on service quality, safety, and operational improvements.
Air India is upgrading its fleet of Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crucial for its long-haul operations, with retrofitting expected to be completed by early 2028. The airline has already received its first retrofitted plane, featuring a three-class configuration.
Air India and Air India Express are introducing a fuel surcharge on domestic and international flights due to rising jet fuel prices, impacting travel costs for passengers.
Air India group announces fuel surcharges on domestic and international flights due to rising Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices, following the government's decision to cap domestic ATF price hikes.
Outgoing Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated that the airline's foundations have been rebuilt over the last four years, but non-delivery of aircraft on schedule has significantly impacted growth and fleet modernisation. He also revealed he has no plans to take up another full-time executive position after stepping down.
Domestic air traffic in India experienced a nearly 12 per cent decline in June, falling to 1.35 crore passengers from 1.53 crore in May, with IndiGo increasing its market share to 66.3 per cent.
Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson has resigned after four years at the helm, prompting the airline to form a committee to find his replacement. Wilson's tenure saw significant changes, including the merger of airlines and fleet expansion, but also faced challenges such as the London-bound flight crash and safety concerns.
Air India is significantly embracing artificial intelligence to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer services, increase revenues, and reduce costs as part of its ambitious transformation plan under the Tata Group.
The Tata Group has begun scouting for a suitable candidate to head Air India, as the tenure of the incumbent, Campbell Wilson, will end next year, sources have said. Meanwhile, the Group is also looking to appoint a new managing director for its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express.
With 7.64 million seats, the Mumbai-Delhi route in 2025 was the eighth busiest route in the world.
Air India's first refurbished Boeing 787-8 aircraft has landed in Delhi, marking a milestone in the airline's USD 400 million investment plan to upgrade its wide-body fleet. The aircraft features comprehensive interior upgrades, including new seats and in-flight entertainment systems.
Air India announced the resumption of its non-stop flights between Delhi and Shanghai (PVG), effective from February 1, 2026, marking Air India's return to mainland China after nearly six years, an official statement by the airline stated.
Air India Group expects to induct 26 wide-body and narrow-body planes, and operate 81 per cent of its international flights with upgraded aircraft by the end of 2026, while overall capacity will remain almost unchanged next year.
Airlines are cutting not only international services but also domestic flights, especially on routes projected to remain unprofitable in the coming weeks due to weak demand and high fares.
Air India grounded a Boeing 787-8 after a pilot reported a potential fuel control switch defect. The incident occurs amidst an ongoing investigation into the airline's Dreamliner crash last June.
Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines invested Rs 9,558 crore in loss-making Air India in 2024-25, with the promoters pumping in Rs 4,306 crore alone in March this year.
Adani Group and Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer have selected Dholera, Gujarat, as the location for a final assembly line for Embraer's regional jets. This strategic collaboration, formalised by an MoU in January, aims to boost India's Regional Transport Aircraft programme and align with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and UDAN scheme. Embraer sees immense potential in the Indian market across various aviation segments.
The broader conflict in West Asia, the largest international market for Indian carriers, has forced a sharp reduction in daily flights relative to the summer schedule.
Singapore Airlines' deal with Tata Sons (Tata) will inject a further SGD 360 million ($267 million) into Air India. It will give SIA a 25.1 per cent stake in the enlarged Air India group following its takeover by Tata and merger with Vistara Airlines. The November 2022 deal between Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons to further inject $267 million into Air India is one of the key strategic initiatives for future growth mentioned in the quarterly financial report. This agreement is still subject to regulatory approval. SIA in the statement said, "The merged entity will be four to five times larger in scale compared to Vistara, with a strong presence in all key airline segments in India.
Due to airspace restrictions resulting from the conflict in the Middle East, Indian domestic carriers have cancelled 278 international flights. Some airlines are operating limited services and special flights to assist stranded passengers.
Two new airlines -- Al Hind Air and FlyExpress -- are set to take to the skies, with the carriers receiving their no objection certificates from the civil aviation ministry.
Willie Walsh, former IATA Director General and CEO of British Airways, has officially taken charge as the CEO of IndiGo, India's largest airline, with a mandate to drive global expansion and operational excellence.
The DGCA has issued multiple fines and warnings to Air India over the past three years, flagging serious concerns in flight operations, cockpit discipline, and internal accountability.
India's duopoly in the domestic skies -- where IndiGo and Air India collectively control over 90 per cent of the market -- is highly skewed, leaving very little room for new players
IBS Group has launched Naviq Technology, an artificial intelligence company dedicated to the global travel industry, backed by a substantial USD 500 million investment over the next five years. The new venture aims to partner with major travel players to drive business transformations, modernise operations, and leverage AI for new revenue streams, with plans for significant job creation in India.
An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner experienced an uncommanded deployment of its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) shortly before landing. The DGCA is investigating the incident, raising safety concerns.
Air India reiterated that its priority remains extending assistance to the families.
An Air India flight bound for Indore made an emergency landing in Delhi after a fire indication in one of its engines. All passengers are safe and being transferred to another aircraft.
The Adani Group-owned Navi Mumbai International Airport is slated to commence international passenger and freighter operations from July 15. This marks a significant expansion for the airport, which began domestic services last December. Air India Express and IndiGo are expected to operate international flights, with customs readiness reviews already completed. The airport anticipates a substantial increase in daily passenger footfall and air traffic movements by the year-end.
Some of the proposed policies have been welcomed by pilots and cabin crew, while others have sparked criticism.
Air India on Sunday said it will temporarily reduce 118 weekly flights operated with narrow-body planes on 19 routes and suspend services on three routes.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is engaged in confidential talks with Tata Sons for merging Vistara with Air India, the flagship carrier of the Republic of Singapore informed the stock exchange in the Southeast Asian nation on Thursday in a first acknowledgement of a possible integration of the two airlines. "In line with its multi-hub strategy, SIA is currently in confidential discussions with the Tatas to explore a potential transaction in relation to the securities of Vistara and Air India. "The discussions seek to deepen the existing partnership between SIA and Tatas and may include a potential integration of Vistara and Air India," SIA said in a notification to the Singapore stock exchange. SIA owns 49 per cent stake in Vistara and is among the four airlines run by Tata Group.
As many as five passengers and two crew members onboard an Air India flight from London fell sick on Monday when the aircraft was on its way to Mumbai, the Tata Group-owned airline said.
'We don't give any guidance about profitability. We have internal targets but we don't discuss them publicly.'
Families of 15 of the 260 victims of last year's Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad have declined to collect the personal belongings of their loved ones, while ex-gratia payments of Rs 1 crore have been disbursed to 91 per cent of the families of the deceased.
