Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said on Wednesday that Pakistan’s ongoing closure of its airspace to Indian airlines has so far resulted in an estimated ₹4,000 crore in losses for Air India, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.
He noted that the restrictions have forced Air India to take longer routes for flights to Europe and North America, resulting in higher fuel consumption, increased crew expenses, and longer turnaround times.
“The closure of Pakistani airspace has had a ₹4,000 crore impact on Air India,” Wilson said at the event in New Delhi.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, both India and Pakistan imposed bans preventing each other’s aircraft from using their respective airspace.
On April 24, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian flights until May 24, following India’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.
The restriction was later extended several times.
Air India CEO’s comment on Ahmedabad plane crash
Wilson said that the June plane crash was a heartbreaking event for the passengers, their families, and the airline’s staff. He added that Air India has been doing everything possible to support those affected and help them move forward.
Speaking at a conference in New Delhi, Wilson noted that the interim investigation report found no issues with the aircraft, its engines, or the airline’s operations, PTI reported.
“We obviously, as with everyone else, we await the final report, and if there’s anything to learn from it, we will,” he said at his first public engagement in India post the aircraft crash.
In one of India’s deadliest air disasters, 260 people, including 241 passengers, lost their lives when Air India’s Boeing 787-8, operating flight AI171 to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad on 12 June.
“It was absolutely devastating for the people involved, for the families of those involved, and the staff.
“And since that time, we have really been doing absolutely everything we can to support those affected, both families and also those on the ground, also the first responders, and really do whatever we can to ease their journey forward,” Wilson said.
The Tata Group-owned airline has completed the interim compensation for the crash victims and others and is working on the final compensation.
He was speaking at the Aviation India and South Asia 2025 conference in the national capital.
According to Wilson, anything that happens in the industry, whether it is with Air India or others, is a cause for introspection.
“It is a cause for reviewing practices. As I said, the interim report indicated that there was nothing with aircraft, engines or practices that required changing… (we will) keep improving, keep getting better,” he said.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in its preliminary report on the crash released on July 12, had said the fuel supply to both engines of the plane was cut off within a gap of one second, causing confusion in the cockpit soon after takeoff.
“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” it had said.
On October 7, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said there is “no manipulation or dirty business” happening in the investigation into the Air India plane crash.
There are concerns in certain quarters about the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) probe into the fatal crash.
Earlier in October, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said there is “no manipulation or dirty business” happening in the investigation into the Air India plane crash that killed 260 people on June 12.
It is a cause for reviewing practices.
His assertion comes against the backdrop of concerns expressed in certain quarters about the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) probe into the fatal crash
Key Takeaways
- Pakistan’s airspace closure has severely impacted Air India’s financial performance.
- The ongoing investigation into the plane crash raises questions about aviation safety protocols.
- Air India is committed to supporting crash victims and improving operational practices.
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