This is shaping up to be quite the time for management at the major Indian airlines. A few weeks ago we learned about IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers was resigning, and now we’re learning about Air India CEO Campbell Wilson resigning as well.
Campbell Wilson leaving Air India after four years
Air India has confirmed that CEO Campbell Wilson has resigned, and a committee has now been launched to find a successor in the coming months. In a statement, the airline shared the following, suggesting that Wilson has been planning on leaving since 2024:
“Wilson had conveyed his intention to step down in 2026 to Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran in 2024 and, since then, has been working to ensure the organisation and leadership team is on a stable footing for the transition. He will remain in the role until his successor is announced and in place.”
For context, Wilson is 55 years old and originally from New Zealand, and he became CEO of Air India as of June 2022. Prior to that, Wilson worked at Singapore Airlines going as far back as 1996. In 2011, he became the founding CEO of Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ low cost carrier.
Wilson’s tenure at Air India had some highs and lows
In the case of IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, it’s clear he resigned because he was forced out, following the recent operational meltdown at the airline. Meanwhile in the case of Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, the claim is that he had been planning on resigning going as far back as 2024, so this isn’t at all sudden.
I have mixed feelings on Wilson’s tenure at Air India. On the plus side, he truly set the airline on a new path, and so much about the Air India experience has changed under his leadership. At the same time, in terms of passenger experience and profitability, Air India is still a long ways off from what the goal is.
When it comes to passenger experience, the airline has done a good job reconfiguring its narrow body fleet, but everything about the long haul product has taken way longer than planned. As it stands, Air India has a single Dreamliner that’s in service with long haul interiors specifically intended for the airline, which isn’t exactly a great showing.
Admittedly supply chain problems have been prevalent in the airline industry for so long. But when you need to undergo a transformation fast, it’s a bit disappointing how little he has to show for new long haul cabins, four years later.
Then it goes without saying that Air India also faced some major headwinds within the past year, between navigating airspace closures, plus the crash of Air India flight AI171. Admittedly none of these were Wilson’s fault, but the airline recorded an absolutely massive loss last year, among its biggest in history, so that’s not exactly great for a turnaround following privatization.
It’ll be interesting to see who replaces Wilson. In the case of IndiGo, former IAG CEO Willie Walsh will become the new CEO. So I’m curious to see how the selection process compares at Air India. You’d think they’d recruit an Indian national for the job, based on the backlash airlines have received for hiring foreign CEOs.
But I’m also not sure who the right guy for the job would be. If they do go with an ex-pat again, I think former American CEO Doug Parker has some time on his hands. Or maybe former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce? 😉
Bottom line
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson will be resigning, roughly four years after tackling the turnaround of India’s national carrier. While Air India is no doubt moving in the right direction, the transformation simply hasn’t gotten as far as was hoped after four years, and Air India also dealt with some major setbacks.
It’s interesting to see the CEOs at India’s two largest airlines resign one after the other, and I’m curious if Air India also taps a former CEO from another major airline.
What do you make of Wilson resigning, and who do you think will replace him?