New CEO Gebremariam, chairman Chandrasekaran list safety as key priority for Air India

“If something is not right, stop. Every employee should feel empowered to raise concerns, and I will support that culture,” Gebremariam said in his first address to the airline’s staff.

“I need your support and cooperation. We cannot bring about meaningful change without the commitment of our people…Together, we can build a safer, stronger and truly world-class Air India,” he added.

Gebremariam oversaw one of aviation’s most successful long-term transformations, turning Ethiopian Airlines into a global airline and the largest carrier in Africa, and turned Addis Ababa into a major aviation hub. He also has a track record of driving sustained profitability while navigating complex economic cycles and dynamic and challenging global markets.

He is taking over the reins at Air India at a crucial juncture for the airline — in the aftermath of the deadly AI 171 crash in June last year and intensified scrutiny of the carrier’s operational safety, and amid external headwinds like the Pakistani airspace closure and surging jet fuel prices due to geopolitical conflict in West Asia. Gebremariam will be steering the loss-laden airline through the next phase of its ambitious transformation programme to become a world-class carrier.

Chnadrasekaran, who is the chairman of Tata Sons as well as Air India, acknowledged that the past 18 months had been particularly challenging for the airline, and looking ahead, the next phase of its growth must 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…Air India 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…Safety is not about what we say. It is about what we do every day,” said Chandrasekaran, who is slated to step down as Tata Sons and Air India chairman once his term ends in February. The airline returned to the Tata fold from government control in January 2022 under his leadership.

“For me, bringing Air India back to the Tata Group is one of the most important milestones of my career, a very very significant event. Air India belongs to a billion people. It is not just another business. It is probably the only business that a billion people talk about, have views on, criticise fiercely and appreciate at times. But one thing we should always remember is that all these one billion people are rooting for Air India. That is our biggest strength,” Chandrasekaran told employees.

Various aspects of Air India’s transformation — from pilot training to maintenance practices and operational decision-making — will also be judged through the lens of safety as the shadow of the AI 171 crash still looms. Passengers, regulators and investors will all expect evidence that safety systems, operational oversight, and organisational culture are improving continuously.

Chandrasekaran emphasised to Air India staff that achieving this would require world-class processes, rigorous compliance, and personal accountability across the organisation. He also called for a stronger focus on consistency in customer experience and greater agility in responding to a rapidly changing operating environment. Emphasising the importance of financial sustainability, he urged employees to help build a stronger culture of cost consciousness.

Gebremariam also highlighted the importance of operational excellence, noting that customer experience is ultimately determined by reliable and consistent delivery. “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,” the incoming CEO said.

Gebremariam served in Ethiopian Airlines for over 36 years, 11 of which were as group CEO. He took an early retirement from the airline in March 2022 due to health issues, and was a senior strategic advisor to Delta Air Lines of the US until recently. For Air India, which is attempting a highly ambitious airline turnaround, Gebremariam’s experience would be particularly relevant, according to industry watchers.

Under outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson — Air India’s first post-privatisation chief executive — the carrier embarked upon an ambitious transformation programme to shrug off its legacy image of a rundown government-owned airline. Despite the challenges that the airline has been grappling with, the foundational parts of its transformation plan have been executed under Wilson’s watch.

A new brand identity is in place, group airlines have been consolidated into two from four, synergies in their networks and operations has gone up considerably, massive aircraft orders are in place to ensure a steady stream of new jets, a large number of its legacy jets have been given modern cabins and more are being retrofitted, heavy investments have been made in technology and other key areas, and hiring for key operational roles is being done on a continuous basis. Air India has also expanded collaboration with its shareholder Singapore Airlines, and has entered into or deepened partnerships with various other global airlines.

Wilson noted that while significant progress had been made, the task is not yet complete. “The transformation will continue, and Air India’s best days are still ahead. I want to assure you I will remain Air India’s biggest cheerleader from the sidelines…Tewolde is a proven airline leader with deep industry experience, and I know he will take Air India forward with great success,” Wilson told employees.