Page 26 - SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2024 - INSIGHT

Interview with

Campbell

Wilson

aking Air India great
again is the mission
of New Zealander
M Campbell Wilson, who
has been in the top job in Delhi
since mid-2022. India’s famed
industrial conglomerate Tata Group
bought 100 per cent of Air India and
its low-cost arm Air India Express
in October 2021 in a privatization
process, investing US$2.3bn. This
meant history came full circle as the
airline was founded in 1932 as Tata
Airlines by patriarch J. R. D. Tata
himself.

Decades of decay under govern- Q The potential for Air India is maybe four, being merged into two,
ment ownership, a lack of funding, huge. complete re-peopling product, cul-
vision and being tied down by ture, service people, and process
extensive red tape and bureaucracy India is huge. Third largest aircraft systems. A lot is happening. But
left the once iconic airline in a sorry market in the world growing at a very, very exciting.
state, bleeding up to US$2.4m a compound rate of 8% per year.
day. Now Campbell Wilson has to Grossly underserved, less than Q India is a huge market and thus
change all that. There is a saying 50 wide bodies operated by all of attracts stiff competition.
“everything Tata touches turns into the Indian airlines put together. Air
gold” – that’s the league he plays India, 90 years old and really just a Sure, India is growing fast. It’s a
in. Andreas Spaeth and Geoffrey startup at the moment, privatized 18 very strongly growing economy.
Thomas talk to Campbell Wilson. months ago. The pre-privatization It’s increasingly part of the global
period was a disaster, no recruit- supply chain for its own capabilities
Q Everyone appears to behind ment for 15 years, no investment in as well as because of geopolitical
you in your quest to take Air India systems, people, processes, and reasons. We’re confident that we
back to its glory days. product. can bring a lot of the current con-
necting business back to non-stop
“Clearly, we feel the expecta- So the past 18 months has been business, and that’s why I think
tion, people are very proud of Air one of a complete turnaround. we’ve gone from the ugliest to prob-
India’s legacy and they are very Aside from the 470 aircraft order ably the most popular travel option.
desirous of Air India representing there’s 36 aircraft that have been We haven’t served the public partic-
India internationally in a particular leased. We’re now taking delivery ularly well. That’s going to change.
way. Everyone is impatient for it to of an aircraft every six days and we India has the geography with the
happen. We are lucky we got 1.4 will continue to do so for about the same advantages as the super-con-
billion people cheering us on, even next two years. Three reservation nection carriers to connect markets.
if they want us to be faster.” system changes, three airlines, So, there’s a lot that needs to come

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