Air India not chasing market share, but a healthy business, says CEO Campbell Wilson
Campbell Wilson took up what is arguably the toughest job in aviation as the chief executive officer and managing director of Air India. Sitting in the swanky new headquarters, a sign of shedding its erstwhile government identity, Wilson says a lot has been achieved but with multiple legacy issues, it will take time to build a completely new Air India. Edited excerpts from an interview with Arindam Majumder & Vinay Pandey.
More than a year into the corner room. How much has been done?
It's a five-year transformation programme and the first phase was largely focused on trying to address many of the accumulated issues of the past.
We are about halfway through now. It is really about building the platform for growth like doing new aircraft induction, investing in IT systems, ensuring we have the necessary talent in the business so that we can start expanding at a significant pace.
Do you have a blank cheque from the Tatas?
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran and other accomplished people are on the board. He has publicly stated what he wants Air India to be and that doesn't translate to a blank cheque.
We are expected to run a financially healthy business. Air India needs to deliver commercial success but it is accepted that it will take a while to address the years of underinvestment and take necessary steps to elevate it. There is a great deal of support from the shareholders and all companies of Tata group.
The market share is totally lopsided with IndiGo having over 60%. Is there a fundamental difference between IndiGo and other airlines that has created this?
Historically, Air India has been the main airline of India.
