Air India's multiple snags and diversions normal, given its size: CEO Campbell Wilson

Mumbai: Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has said the recent spate of technical snags and diversions were "entirely normal" for an airline of its scale. He instead pointed to operational gains such as on-time performance crossing 80% in August and a widening domestic network with new flights to Jaisalmer, Dehradun and other cities.

The recent remarks, in an email to staff, follow the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI 171 in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people and put the Tata-owned carrier under intense scrutiny.

Air India has been reporting multiple technical incidents and precautionary diversions, many of which have drawn headlines. Wilson told staff that with more than 1,200 departures daily across Air India and Air India Express, the scale of operations explains the number of incidents.

"With more than 1,200 departures every single day-nearly one every minute-across the Air India Group, it can seem like a lot. In context of our scale and size, however, the incidence rate is entirely normal," Wilson said. The airline has adopted a "safety pause", adding voluntary pre-flight checks and slowing some operations. The measures have disrupted schedules and temporarily curtailed wide-body flying. "When the spotlight is on us, it's crucial to offer timely, clear and accurate information and the right context...This transparency will, over time, help build trust," Wilson said.

The DGCA has issued enforcement actions against AI, several triggered by the airline's voluntary disclosures.