Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran reiterated the airline's steadfast commitment to safety, customer trust, operational rigor, and financial discipline during an all-employee townhall on Monday, Sept. 7, marking a major leadership transition as the carrier prepares for its next phase of transformation. The townhall was addressed jointly by Chandrasekaran, outgoing Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson, and incoming CEO and MD Tewolde Gebremariam.
Expressing gratitude to the workforce for their contributions over the past four years of the carrier's privatization journey, Chandrasekaran emphasized the emotional and national significance of the airline. "For me, bringing Air India back to the Tata Group is one of the most important milestones of my career, a very, very significant event," Chandrasekaran said.
"Air India belongs to a billion people. It is not just another business. It is probably the only business that a billion people talk about, have views on, criticise fiercely and appreciate at times. But one thing we should always remember is that all these one billion people are rooting for Air India. That is our biggest strength."
Chandrasekaran acknowledged that the past 18 months had tested the carrier extensively. External headwinds—including widespread geopolitical disruptions, airspace closures, and sharp fuel price volatility—combined with the tragic accident involving flight AI171, had placed severe strain on operations and organizational performance.
Turning to the road ahead, the Chairman set out clear priorities for the carrier's next phase, calling safety non-negotiable and the bedrock of public trust. "The most important thing Air India should aspire to have is trust in the minds of people," he said. "Air India must be known for caring about safety above everything else. Our safety record should not just match the best airlines in the world, it should be better than the best. Safety is not about what we say. It is about what we do every day."
Achieving this standard, he noted, demands world-class operational processes, uncompromising compliance, and active personal accountability across every rank of the airline. Beyond safety, Chandrasekaran highlighted the need for greater consistency in customer experience and heightened agility to navigate a volatile global operating landscape. He also delivered a strong call for fiscal prudence to ensure long-term sustainability.
"Every individual in Air India can contribute to improving cost efficiency," he told employees, urging them to foster a deeper culture of cost consciousness throughout the company. The Air India Chairman concluded by commending outgoing chief Campbell Wilson for steering the airline through one of the most demanding and transformative periods in its history, crediting him with laying the critical operational and organizational groundwork for incoming chief Tewolde Gebremariam to build upon.
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