The privatised Air India is still suffering !

Air India is confronting a deepening financial and leadership crisis, with projected FY26 losses soaring to ₹20,000 crore—well above both earlier estimates and the previous year’s ₹11,000 crore. While external shocks, including airspace disruptions, elevated fuel prices, and the Ahmedabad crash, have significantly strained operations, they do not fully explain the scale of the downturn. The more pressing concern is whether the airline built adequate financial buffers to navigate such volatility.

The challenge has been compounded by the exit of CEO Campbell Wilson, leaving Tata Group to steer both leadership transition and turnaround strategy simultaneously. Losses exceeding ₹16,000 crore within nine months had already pointed to a record annual deficit. Although Wilson highlighted progress in consolidating four airlines, upgrading systems, and enhancing service standards, these efforts have yet to translate into operational stability. With an ambitious order of 570 aircraft in the pipeline, the airline now faces the dual test of restoring financial discipline while rebuilding credibility.