NEW DELHI: “Focus on safety, financial stability, winning trust of passengers and offer a consistent customer experience.” Tata Sons and Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran Monday set the objectives for the airline and its new boss in a town hall with the carrier’s outgoing and incoming MDs and CEOs Campbell Wilson and Tewolde Gebremariam, respectively. Taking a leaf from Trump’s MAGA, Gebremariam promised to “make Air India great again” as the airline tries to come out of some serious turbulence.
To Focus On Safety, Operational Execution, Customer Trust & Cost Discipline: Chandra
Chandra acknowledged that the last 18 months had been particularly challenging for the airline due to geopolitical disruptions, airspace closures, fuel volatility and the deadly Ahmedabad crash. “For me, bringing Air India back to the Tata Group is one of the most important milestones of my career… AI belongs to a billion people…. It is probably the only business that a billion people talk about, have views on, criticise fiercely and appreciate at times.… all these one billion people are rooting for AI. That is our biggest strength,” said Chandra, who has announced he is not going to seek a fresh term as Tata boss next Feb.The “next phase” of AI will focus on safety, customer trust, operational execution and cost discipline. “The most important thing Air India should aspire to have is trust in the minds of people. AI must be known for caring about safety above everything else. Our safety record should not just match the best airlines in the world, it should be better than the best,” he said.Given AI’s mounting losses in a tough operating environment and a bloated cost structure, Chandra urged employees to help build a stronger culture of cost consciousness so that the airline becomes financially sustainable. “Every individual in Air India can contribute to improving cost efficiency.”Gebremariam, who is credited with turning around Ethiopian Airlines group during his long stint there, will take over as AI MD and CEO after getting the required security clearance. Setting his priorities, he has set sight on fixing the basics first with safety at the top. “A safety-first culture has to be our number one priority. It is not enough to say it. We must live it every day. If something is not right, stop. Every employee should feel empowered to raise concerns, and I will support that culture.““Operational excellence is about getting the basics right every day: On-time departures, on-time arrivals, baggage delivery and clean aircraft. Customer experience is a function of operational excellence. We need to minimise disruptions and when they do occur, handle them professionally and take care of our customers,” Gebremariam said. Seeking employees’ support in turning around AI, he said: “We cannot bring about meaningful change without the commitment of our people. Together, we can build a safer, stronger and truly world class AI.”Noting the progress made in last four years, outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson said: “I would like to acknowledge all Air Indians whose commitment, resilience and hard work have made this transformation possible. As the chairman said, this is a task that is not yet complete. The transformation will continue, and Air India’s best days are still ahead.”
