Air India’s transformation is like ‘morning of 5th day of Test match’

Air India’s transformation is now like being on the morning of the fifth day of a cricket Test match as the heavy lifting has been done, the airline’s chief Campbell Wilson has said.

The loss-making Air India, which was privatised in January 2022, has been facing various headwinds and when asked about profitability, the CEO and MD said “some unexpected events” have impacted the airline’s performance.

Air India is in the process of revamping its fleet, which currently stands around 190 planes. In January, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 aircraft after privatisation.

To a PTI query on the transformation journey, Wilson, who is from New Zealand, said, “Clearly, I think we are may be (in) the morning of the fifth day (of cricket Test match)”.

A Test match is played over five days.

“There is a lot of aircraft that need to go through the refit process. But that’s now a mechanical process. We just need the seats to be manufactured, delivered, installed.

“All of the design, all of the certification, all of that is done. And so, whilst it will take some time, the heavy lifting is finished,” he said.