NEW DELHI: While passengers flying Air India’s old planes, especially the wide bodies, are still wait for an improved onboard product and the Maharaja’s overall on-time performance remains poor, the airline management on Friday said things are moving in the right direction. Two years back, the then recently acquired by Tata Group airline had launched a revival programme called “Vihaan” and AI MD & CEO
Campbell Wilson
on Friday gave a report card on the progress made so far.
The major hits pointed put by Wilson in his weekly message to employees along with the report card include: significant reduction in AI losses; more planes and flights, including many new routes and an overall younger age profile of employees due to fresh induction of young blood. AI added 9,000 employees (5,000 crew & 4,000 others) since Tata takeover and currently has 18,000 staffers. The average age has gone down from 54 to 35. It has launched 35 new routes, 25 international & 10 domestic.
While AI was in a dilapidated condition when acquired by the Tatas in Jan 2022 and no one expected miracles in near future, the continuing poor condition of old aircraft cabins and punctuality is now a cause of concern for passengers. The impending Nov 12 merger of Vistara, seen as a better full service airline from customer perceptive than AI, has seen those concerns mount. “Will the merged entity be more like AI (as in its current condition) or what Vistara used to be,” this is the question foremost in passenger minds.
Wilson tried to allay these concerns in his Friday message which basically tried telling AI patrons that things are on track and will improve in hopefully not so distant future. “Air India achieved positive EBITDAR for the year-ended March 31, 2024… consolidated losses reduced by over 50% year-on-year and consolidated operating revenues rose by 25% to the highest-ever level…. these early results should encourage us that the effort is bearing fruit…. strong momentum has continued – as it must, for being world class requires being financially successful too,” Wilson said.
He spoke about the biggest irritant for passengers — poor cabin product. “We commenced the refit of 67 narrowbody aircraft with new cabin configurations and seats…. entire narrowbody fleet should be upgraded by mid-2025. In parallel, our 40 legacy 787 and 777 aircraft will follow as soon as the seats, which we’ve already selected, are certified and delivered.”
