Air India transformation is Test match, not T20; more work to do: Campbell

Air India's transformation journey is a cricket Test match and not a T20, and currently, it is like lunch on the third day of a Test match, the airline's Chief Campbell Wilson said on Thursday.

Tata Group-owned Air India has embarked on an ambitious five-year transformation plan 'Vihaan.AI' and little over two years of the programme has been completed.

"I acknowledge that we are not ultimately where we aspire to be and we have some work to do... There is a reason why Vihaan.AI programme is for five years... We are little over two years... the first years have been a good start," Wilson, who was born in New Zealand and took over the reins of Air India in 2022, said.

"It is a Test match and not a T20, we are at about lunch on Day 3," Wilson, the CEO and MD of Air India, said during a select media briefing.

A Test match is for five days while a T20 gets completed in less than four hours.

Since Tatas took over Air India in January 2022, it has consolidated the airline business -- Air India has merged Vistara with itself and Air India Express has integrated AIX Connect.

"A lot of heavy lifting for Air India transformation has been done, merger of airlines, establishment of new premises... 2025 is about bringing all of the pieces to a level of efficiency, consistency and performance that ultimately Air India wants to be known for," Wilson said.

Now, Air India Group operates a combined fleet of 300 aircraft covering 55 domestic and 48 international destinations, with 312 routes and 8,300 flights per week. The collective staff strength stands at over 30,000.

Vihaan.AI has seen commitment to more than 500 new aircraft and the commencement of a USD 400-million interior retrofit programme for legacy aircraft, among others.