Air India to increase global coverage in years ahead: CEO Wilson

Air India has covered a lot of ground since privatisation and its global coverage will further increase in the years ahead, the airline's chief Campbell Wilson said on Wednesday.

He also said the interior refit of the single-aisle fleet, serving domestic and short-haul international destinations, is underway, and will be completed by mid-2025.

Loss-making Air India was acquired by the Tata Group from the government in January 2022, and is undergoing an ambitious five-year transformation plan.

In 2024, Air India completed the merger of Vistara with itself as well as integration of Air India Express and AIX Connect was also done.

In his New Year message, Wilson said these mergers and new aircraft deliveries have taken Air India Group's fleet to 300 aircraft, allowing it to expand to over 100 domestic and international destinations.

"Air India's global coverage will further increase in the years ahead, not least because of the recent addition of 100 aircraft to our order book, augmenting the earlier commitment for 470 made in 2023," he said.

The Air India CEO and MD also said these new aircraft will be supported by a brand-new 12-bay maintenance facility and maintenance training school in Bengaluru (Karnataka), a new 34-aircraft flight school in Amravati (Maharashtra) and the training academy in Gurugram (Haryana).

India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets and efforts are being made to make the country a global aviation hub with Indian carriers providing direct flights to international destinations.

"Air India has covered a lot of ground in the period since privatisation; we acknowledge there's much more to be done.

"All 30,000 Air Indians are fully committed to improving the quality and consistency of our services, in all areas, so that Air India becomes the world-class airline we all want it to be," he said.