Air India Ltd. has confirmed the resignation of CEO Campbell Wilson, as reported by Hindustan Times earlier in the day, underscoring the top-level churn among some of India’s biggest airlines.
Wilson, who took the helm following the airline’s privatisation, had signalled his intent to exit as early as 2024, Air India said in a statement on Tuesday. However, he will remain in his current role until a successor is appointed by a newly constituted board committee.
During Wilson’s tenure, Air India underwent a massive consolidation, successfully merging four separate airlines—including the integration of Air Asia India into Air India Express and Vistara into the flagship full-service carrier.
“The time is right for me to hand over the reins for the next phase of Air India’s rise,” Wilson said in the statement on Tuesday. According to him, the storied airline “has reached a point of stability”, with foundational blocks now in place ahead of a massive influx of new hardware.
Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran credited Wilson with navigating significant external pressures, ranging from geopolitical tensions to the lingering supply chain disruptions that followed the pandemic.
Under Wilson’s leadership, Air India expanded its fleet by 100 aircraft and placed a historic order for nearly 600 more. He modernised legacy systems and overhauled the company culture to align with private-sector standards.
