As IndiGo gets Walsh, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson exits
Having taken charge in 2022, Wilson steps down before his term ends in 2027
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Prefer us on GoogleLast Updated: Apr 07, 2026, 17:08 IST2 min
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Campbell Wilson has resigned as chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of Air India, the airline said on Tuesday, stepping down before the end of his five-year term that was due to run until 2027. His exit comes days after Willie Walsh was announced as the new CEO of IndiGo; he replaced Pieter Elbers, who had stepped down a few weeks ago.
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Air India said Wilson had informed Chairman N Chandrasekaran in 2024 of his intention to step down in 2026 and had since been working towards a transition. He will remain in the role until a successor is appointed. The board has set up a committee to identify a replacement.
On Wilson's departure, Chandrasekaran said, “I wish to record my deep appreciation for Campbell’s leadership and contribution over the past four years,” adding that the airline navigated supply chain constraints and other headwinds during this period. Media reports earlier this year had indicated that Wilson could exit before the end of his term, while other reports had suggested that the Tata Group had begun looking for a successor ahead of the completion of his tenure.
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Wilson took charge in 2022, months after Tata Sons acquired the airline, with a mandate to overhaul operations, modernise systems and restore Air India’s reputation. In a statement, he said: “The four years since Air India’s privatisation has seen the acquisition and successful merger of four airlines, an evolution from public to private sector practices along with renewal of the leadership team, workforce, culture and ways of operating. It has seen the complete modernisation of systems, the launch of new physical products, and deployment of elevated service standards on ground and in the air.”
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He added that the airline has inducted more than 100 aircraft and begun upgrading its fleet and product offering. Under Wilson Air India also saw the merger of Vistara into Air India. Within the Air India group, leadership gaps persist. Air India Express has been without a head since March 19, following the exit of its MD Aloke Singh after completing his tenure.
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Wilson’s tenure has been overshadowed by safety concerns following the June 2025 crash of a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, which killed 241 of the 242 people on board. Investigations into the crash are ongoing, with the final report yet to be released. A preliminary report found that both engines lost thrust after fuel supply was cut off seconds after take-off, bringing focus on the aircraft’s fuel control switches.
The aviation sector has been facing pressures due to the West Asian conflict. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) costs are up by 8-10 percent between March and April, prompting Air India to revise its fuel surcharge structure on Tuesday. It has introduced a distance-based surcharge on domestic routes and increased charges on international ones, with the revised rates coming into effect from April 8.
First Published: Apr 07, 2026, 18:32
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