• 

  Air India

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  AI/AIC

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport

  Year Founded:

  1946

  Alliance:

  Star Alliance

  CEO:

  Campbell Wilson

  Country:

  India

  Region:

  Asia

Air India is ready to hand over the reins to Campbell Wilson, an aviation veteran with more than 25 years of industry experience. Since the announcement of his selection as the top boss of AI, Wilson has been taking stock of the situation with the airline and shared his vision for Air India's future. However, before officially taking over control, he has to get the all-clear from the Government of India.

Security clearance awaited

On May 12th, Tata Sons announced the appointment of Campbell Wilson as chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of Air India. The new owners had been looking for a candidate who could steer the airline in the right direction for a long time before that.

So far, everything seems to be going according to plan, and Wilson is expected to formally take control of Air India once he gets the security clearance from the Indian government.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is following up with the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the matter, and approval is expected in the coming weeks. According to the civil aviation ministry official, an application for security clearance to Wilson is before the home ministry.

Standard procedure

The task of scrutinizing Wilson's candidature has been given to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a branch of the Indian government that looks after the country's internal security and domestic policy.

But this shouldn't be seen as anything out of the ordinary. Appointments at such high levels, particularly when it goes to a foreign national, require clearance from the MHA. Whenever needed, the ministry can also take the help of R&AW, which stands for Research and Analysis Wing.

R&AW is India's primary foreign intelligence agency, which gathers crucial information pertaining to the country's foreign strategic interests and advises policymakers accordingly.

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If the whole thing sounds familiar, it's because Air India's previous CEO designate, Ilker Ayci, also went through a similar process. However, his appointment had been surrounded by skepticism from the beginning. Eventually, following negative media coverage, Ayci decided to step down from the post even before the government could clear him for the position.

Wilson's vision for Air India

Wilson has over 26 years of aviation experience, starting out as a management trainee with Singapore Airlines in New Zealand in 1996. He has worked for the airline in various roles and in several countries before eventually returning to Singapore as the CEO of its low-cost arm Scoot.

Since the announcement, Wilson has been observing the workings of the airline and taking stock of the situation at AI. In June, while visiting Air India's office, he commented,

“… in any organization, there are areas that can be improved upon. And you have heard our chairman (N Chandrasekaran) espouse the ambition of making AI a world-class airline with the highest standards of safety and dependability, delivering Indian warmth and hospitality to customers from all nations. I fully subscribe to this ambition. It is bold but eminently achievable.”

Here's hoping the clearance comes through sooner rather than later for Wilson so Air India can finally receive the leadership it has so desperately required all these years.

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