Air India CEO Campbell Wilson is emphasizing transparency as a core value, highlighting the airline's improved performance, new services, and expanding network. In a recent message to employees, Wilson underscored the company's commitment to transparency and cultural transformation. He acknowledged the intense scrutiny the airline has faced, particularly after the AI171 plane crash in Ahmedabad earlier this year, which claimed 260 lives. Wilson stressed the importance of providing timely, clear, and accurate information, stating that being "more transparent than usual in reporting incidents and events, however small" will ultimately build trust.
While increased transparency may lead to a temporary surge in news coverage, Wilson maintains that the incident rate is "entirely normal" given Air India's scale, with over 1,200 departures daily across the Air India Group. This proactive approach to communication aims to foster confidence among passengers and stakeholders alike.
Air India has been actively improving its operational performance. The airline's on-time performance (OTP) in August crossed 80%, surpassing the combined average of Air India and Vistara in 2024 by nearly 10 percentage points. Customer sentiment has also seen a boost, with the Net Promoter Score (NPS) reaching a record high of 36 in August, building on the momentum from July. Additionally, key service metrics, such as mishandled baggage rates and the speed of reuniting passengers with their luggage, have also improved. To further enhance customer satisfaction, Air India is empowering frontline teams with e-vouchers to compensate passengers for service deficiencies, with plans to extend this capability to cabin crew for on-the-spot resolution of in-flight issues.
Air India is also focused on expanding its network and upgrading its services. The airline is set to expand its U.S. network with new destinations, potentially doubling its existing presence with routes to Dallas Fort Worth, Boston Logan, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Atlanta. These new routes will complement existing services to Chicago O'Hare, Newark, New York (JFK), San Francisco, and Washington Dulles. The airline is also increasing flights to Bangkok and is deploying retrofitted A320neo aircraft on the Delhi-Bangkok route, featuring refreshed interiors across Economy, Premium Economy, and Business Class. These aircraft offer Vista Stream, a complimentary wireless inflight entertainment service.
Air India is optimizing its international network to provide faster connections between the UK and Europe to Australia and Southeast Asia, reducing connection times to around 2.5 hours and is promoting India as a global transit hub through its "Via" campaign.
The airline's cargo business has also experienced substantial growth, increasing by over 60% between fiscal years 2023 and 2025. Air India caters to over four lakh tonnes of cargo annually with its fleet. The integration of Air India and Air India Express' cargo operations has further boosted growth, allowing the airline to expand its customer base and diversify its cargo portfolio to include pharmaceuticals, valuables, live animals, and other specialized consignments. Air India's cargo operations cover over 50 international destinations directly, with further reach through trucking and interline partnerships.
Despite these advancements, Air India faces challenges. Skytrax has certified Air India as a 3-Star Airline, noting mixed product standards and areas needing improvement in cabin maintenance and cleanliness. The airline is actively working to address these issues as part of its ongoing transformation.
Air India's financial performance is also improving. The company's revenue reached a record level of ₹61,000 crore in fiscal year 2025, with profits, excluding exceptional items, in the second half of the year. Losses have also reduced by over 40% since privatization in January 2022. The airline's fleet size grew to 205 aircraft in fiscal year 2025 and flew 4.35 crore passengers.
