July 26, 2025

NEW DELHI: In the wake of the June 12 AI 171 crash, Air India is actively engaging with leaders from the Tata Group and the Indian aviation ministry to tackle pressing safety concerns and restore operational integrity. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran met with Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu and aviation secretary Samir Kumar Sinha to discuss actionable strategies for improving Air India's safety record and restoring passenger confidence after a spate of regulatory actions and bad news. Over the course of three days, discussions took place between Air India management, led by CEO Campbell Wilson, and government officials, highlighting critical areas that need immediate attention. "We've scrutinized various issues, including maintenance, leadership, and communication. Our goal is to ensure that India has strong airlines, and the government is committed to providing support where necessary," remarked sources familiar with the discussions. The outcome of these meetings is expected to bring about visible changes in the coming days as implementations of the suggestions unfold. Key topics of concern during these meetings included airworthiness, engineering, and maintenance procedures at Air India. A troubling factor has been the reliance on the 'minimum equipment list'—which permits aircraft to remain operational despite certain equipment being out of service—as a solution to staffing shortages in spare parts. This practice raises serious questions about the safety and reliability of aircraft in the fleet. Moreover, the culture within Air India has been identified as a significant issue since the merger with Vistara last November. Sources indicate that the merging of the two airlines complicated internal dynamics, as each operated under very different corporate cultures. Strategies were proposed to navigate this challenge and realign the organization towards leading safety practices. To bolster Air India’s capabilities, enhancing collaboration with Singapore Airlines (SIA), which has a 25.1% stake in the airline, was floated as a potential measure. This guidance could be pivotal in establishing stronger operational standards and improving overall service quality. While the focus remains on reinforcing Air India's reputation for safety, it extends to its new promoters—the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines—who are equally invested in rebuilding trust among passengers. Presently, Air India's strategy involves scaling back operations, such as reducing flight schedules after the crash in Ahmedabad, prioritizing safety over rapid growth. Feedback from industry insiders emphasized the critical need for a cultural shift towards placing safety above all else, with messages of prioritizing safety to resonate throughout all levels of airline operations. Citing the struggles faced by Boeing as a cautionary tale, there is an acknowledgment that compromising safety for competitive advantage can have dire consequences. After facing significant scrutiny and public outrage over two catastrophic MAX crashes due to corner-cutting in safety protocols, Boeing is now focused on regaining trust through stringent safety measures. Air India's commitment to embracing safety first is a solid step towards ensuring that similar narratives do not unfold within the Indian aviation context. As these discussions yield actionable outcomes, the emphasis will be on fostering an environment where safety is paramount and perceived as a non-negotiable priority across all operations, thereby paving the way to restore customer confidence in the airline.

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Tags: Air india, Aviation, Safety, Tata group, Government,