Air India CEO Campbell Wilson is expected to step down in the coming months, saying the airline’s next leader will face one of the toughest periods in the global aviation industry. Speaking during a lunch event hosted by the Wings Club in New York on Thursday, Wilson said Air India is dealing with rising fuel prices, flight disruptions caused by regional conflicts, airspace restrictions and growing financial pressure.
“The next four years are going to be just as challenging as the past, albeit in a different way,” Wilson said. “And so the person that takes over will have their hands full.”
Search for new CEO underway
According to an earlier Reuters report, two names are currently leading the race to become Air India’s next CEO. One is Vinod Kannan, an executive at Singapore Airlines, and the other is Nipun Aggarwal, who currently heads Air India’s commercial operations.
Wilson said it had always been understood that his stint at Air India would last four years. Even after stepping down, he said he is willing to stay flexible for some time to help with the transition and make sure the new CEO settles in smoothly.
“I’m going to be flexible for as long as it takes for them to find someone and make sure that we do a good transition,” he said.
Iran conflict and airspace curbs hit Air India hard
Air India has been dealing with several major problems over the past year. The airline has had to cancel thousands of flights because of the Iran war and restrictions on using Pakistan’s airspace.
These issues have badly affected some of Air India’s most profitable international routes, especially flights to North America. Some services have been slashed completely, while others are taking much longer routes, leading to higher operating costs.
Wilson explained that many flights can no longer use normal paths over parts of the Gulf region. “We now can’t fly over many parts of the Gulf, so we have to take an even longer routing. An eight-and-a-half-hour flight from Delhi to London now takes 12 hours,” he said.
He explained that a flight from Delhi to London, which earlier took around eight-and-a-half hours, is now taking nearly 12 hours because of the rerouting.
The longer routes are also burning far more fuel at a time when fuel prices have already surged sharply. According to Wilson, fuel costs have doubled and now make up around 34% of the airline’s overall expenses since the war began.
Safety concerns continue to loom
Air India has also been under pressure because of safety concerns and heavy financial losses. The airline suffered a major tragedy in June 2025 when one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft crashed, killing hundreds of people. The carrier has also faced criticism over several safety lapses in recent months.
Despite all of this, Air India still has big ambitions. The airline is trying to expand and position itself as a major global aviation player in one of the world’s fastest-growing air travel markets.
Wilson said the groundwork for that future growth has already been laid, but managing that expansion will not be easy for the next CEO.
“The platform has been laid, but obviously when you bring aircraft in, you’re going to be operating in a much greater scale quite soon,” he told reporters after the event.