DELHI- Airline companies near India have thrived due to Air India’s vulnerabilities. However, the airline now has a chance to regain dominance in the market, potentially transforming India into a travel hub,” remarked Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India (AI).
Speaking at the 45th-anniversary event of PKF Sridhar & Santhanam, Wilson emphasized that at the time of Air India’s privatization, India possessed merely 43 wide-body aircraft, starkly contrasting to Dubai’s 250, Singapore’s 150, and Qatar’s 175. This underscores Air India’s underdeveloped scale and its significant growth opportunity.
International Traffic
Major carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and Singapore Airlines play a significant role in facilitating substantial international air traffic to and from India, leveraging their hubs located within the region.
The utilization of wide-body aircraft like the B787 and A350, renowned for their larger fuel tanks, greatly facilitates long-haul flights, thereby enhancing connectivity and travel efficiency.
Following a competitive bidding process, Tata Group successfully acquired Air India in January 2022, marking a significant shift in the airline’s ownership structure.
Under the leadership of Campbell Wilson, who assumed control of Air India in July 2022, there is a strong ambition to elevate the airline’s standards of service, product quality, and hospitality to match those of industry leaders such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and British Airways.
In his statement, Wilson highlighted how many airlines operating in the Indian market have thrived due to Air India’s weaknesses, emphasizing the potential for Air India to reclaim market share and establish India as a prominent hub for global travellers.
In recent years, the Indian government has refrained from expanding bilateral service agreements with Gulf nations, aiming to bolster the expansion efforts of local carriers like Air India and IndiGo in their international services, particularly to destinations in North America and Europe.
Emirates and Air India Expressed On Bilateral Rights
In March of the preceding year, Timothy Charles Clark, the President of Emirates, characterized India’s decision to refrain from expanding bilateral rights between India and Dubai as “very vexing,” expressing disappointment that the carrier couldn’t meet the high demand for more flights to India.
Wilson, reflecting on his extensive experience in the aviation industry, expressed a sense of lament for missed opportunities when observing Air India’s trajectory.
He highlighted the airline’s iconic status, rich history, and representation of a strong and proud nation, suggesting that the present offers a chance to rectify past shortcomings, referring to it as a “historic wrong.”
Air India made headlines last year by placing the world’s second-largest aircraft order, totalling 470 planes, split between Airbus and Boeing.
In parallel, Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines in a 51:49 ratio, is currently undergoing a merger process with Air India, adding further complexity to the evolving aviation landscape.
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