Air India CEO Campbell Wilson resigns amid turbulent times for airline

New Delhi, April 7 : Multiple reports on Tuesday said that Air India Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Campbell Wilson has resigned before his term ends. The airline was yet to issue an official statement on this development.

Wilson is currently serving his notice period, according to reports.

The Tata Group airline has not made any public statement yet. A query sent to airlines was not immediately answered.

It is also unclear if the company has found a replacement. The board was scouting since last year for a new CEO to replace Wilson.

The Tata Group started looking for a new Chief Executive Officer to head Air India as the airline is going through a turbulent phase following the Ahmedabad plane crash and has not been able make a financial turnaround at the required pace after it was taken over from the government as part of the privatisation process.

According to reports, Wilson’s resignation was accepted at a board meeting last week but he will stay on with the company until a successor is found.

He was appointed as CEO and Managing Director of Air India in 2022 on a five-year contract after the government sold the airline to the Tata Group.

His tenure was scheduled to end in July 2027.

Prior to joining the airline, he served as CEO of Scoot, the wholly-owned low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines.

Meanwhile, Air India has been under regulatory scrutiny since a plane crash in Ahmedabad in June last year that claimed 260 lives.

High fuel costs and delayed delivery of new planes have also weighed on operations.

The leadership change at Air India comes just days after larger rival IndiGo announced the appointment of William Walsh as new CEO after Pieter Elbers resigned. Walsh will take charge from August 3.

InterGlobe Aviation Limited, the parent company of IndiGo, last month appointed Walsh as Chief Executive Officer, subject to regulatory approvals, after Elbers resigned as the CEO of the low-cost airline earlier in March.

Walsh’s tenure at IATA (International Air Transport Association) comes to a close on July 31, 2026, and he is expected to join no later than on August 3, 2026, the airline said in a statement.