Air India CEO Pledges ‘New Normal’ Safety Culture After Deadly Crash

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson says the airline has embraced a “new normal” of heightened safety focus following the June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171—the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. All but one of the 242 people on board the Boeing Dreamliner, bound for London from Ahmedabad, were killed, along with 19 people on the ground.

A preliminary report released in July cited cockpit confusion over fuel cutoff switches. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking why the fuel had been cut off and the other replying that he had not.

Speaking at the Airline Passenger Experience Association conference in Long Beach, California, Wilson called the tragedy “absolutely devastating” and said Air India has been prioritizing support for victims’ families and staff. “We continue to work with the regulator on the investigation and ensuring that whatever learnings come about are put into play,” he said. “We’ve taken a significant safety pause to ensure all of our practices and procedures are fully embedded, and people are fully embracing a new normal of even extra focus on safety.”

The crash occurred amid Air India’s largest-ever modernization effort. Since its privatization under Tata Group three years ago, the 93-year-old airline has been rolling out new cabins, better technology, and has placed orders for around 570 new aircraft to compete in India’s fast-growing aviation market.

Wilson, who previously led Singapore Airlines’ low-cost carrier Scoot, said privatization has given Air India the capital and flexibility to “adopt more normal private-sector practices” and make long-term investments. “Our focus now is on embedding safety at every level as we continue to transform the airline,” he said.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, cnbc.com