GURUGRAM- Air India (AI) commemorates the second anniversary of AI’s reunion with the Tata Group this weekend. This presents an occasion to reflect on the strides taken towards AI’s goal of evolving into a global airline with a distinctly Indian essence.
The 27th January 2024 marks the second anniversary of Tata acquiring Air India”, Campbell Wilson shared the news in his weekly message to Air India’s employees.
Air India CEO’s Message
Campbell started his message with, “Happy Thursday, folks – an early post due to tomorrow’s Republic Day holiday!”
Considering our initial position, the magnitude and scale of the transformation we are navigating, our groundbreaking integration across multiple carriers, our substantial ambitions for growth and product enhancement, and the essential need for capability development, a two-year timeframe is remarkably brief. In fact, we are not even 18 months into our 5-year Vihaan.AI transformation program.”
Nevertheless, as illustrated in the infographic, the strides achieved in these two years are notably significant and serve as a testament to the dedication, enthusiasm, and diligent efforts of all members of the Air India team.
Poor Visibility in Delhi
Shifting our focus to current affairs, particularly for those residing in Northern India, it’s evident that we find ourselves in the midst of an unusually severe fog season.
This, compounded by the unfortunately timed closure of one of Delhi’s two “low-visibility” runways for repairs, has significantly impacted the operations of all airlines, consequently affecting both staff and, of course, our valued customers.
Considering the inevitable recurrence of fog in future seasons and the anticipated increase in airport/airway congestion, our Operations team is actively evaluating strategies to better cope with the situation.
This includes initiatives such as expanding our pool of CAT3 crew, enhancing roster planning and schedule buffers, and, when necessary, implementing more preemptive flight cancellations.
In the interim, I would like to express appreciation for everyone’s efforts in assisting our customers, often under challenging circumstances.
Appreciation for Captain
Furthermore, I want to commend the crew of AI105, led by Capt. Rishabh Malhotra, who represented Air India admirably during a medical-induced diversion to Keflavik, Iceland, enroute to Newark.
Diversions to unfamiliar airports, especially on ULR flights, present numerous challenges, and while many parties are involved in managing them, those on the front line face the most demanding tasks.
WINGS India
On a brighter note, the recent public days at WINGS India witnessed over 10,000 people visiting Air India’s A350 Chalet and Experience Centre to see our first A350 aircraft.
The palpable sense of excitement was also evident during Monday’s first commercial flights, which have already generated numerous posts and videos from passengers and influencers.
A heartfelt thank you to all those involved, whether on the ground, in the air, at WINGS, at airports, onboard the aircraft, or behind the scenes, for showcasing the new Air India to the world.
Bright Future for Air India
While we acknowledge that there is still a considerable journey ahead to upgrade the legacy fleet, enhance our consistency, address remaining gaps, and fortify delicate processes, the future is becoming more visible, tangible, and, I hope, inspiring.
Despite, and somewhat because of, the significant progress we’ve made in the two short years since privatization, expectations are high, and we must continue to rise to meet them.
In conclusion, I extend my wishes to all for a very happy 75th Republic Day! Here’s a sneak peek at a video our marketing colleagues will be releasing tomorrow to celebrate this significant occasion.
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