Air India Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson has reportedly stepped down from his role but will continue in the system until the board finds his successor.

As per reports, Wilson communicated his intention to resign to the board before formally stepping down. Air India has not yet issued an official response.

His resignation comes at a time when the airline is dealing with ongoing financial pressures and heightened regulatory scrutiny following last year’s fatal Boeing 787-8 crash that claimed 260 lives.

Wilson, who perhaps has one of the most difficult jobs in aviation in recent times, has faced mounting criticism since June 12 last year, when a London-bound Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of 241 out of the 242 people onboard the aircraft.

He took charge as CEO and Managing Director of Air India in July 2022, after former Turkish Airlines Chairman İlker Aycı declined the position earlier that year. The Tata Group had completed the acquisition of Air India from the Indian government in January 2022.

Fortune India recently reported that the Tata Group was already exploring potential candidates to lead the airline, with Wilson’s five-year term originally set to run until 2027. The group has reportedly spoken with a few US- and UK-based airline CEOs to take the baton from him.

Turning around Air India, even with the backing of the Tata Group, has remained a challenge, four years after the acquisition. While the group signed a deal to acquire as many as 470 aircraft, the airline has yet to make significant gains in market share from the market leader, IndiGo. In November this year, the Air India Group’s domestic market share stood at 26.7%, while IndiGo’s was well over 63%. To put that in context, in January 2023, a full year after the acquisition, Air India’s market share stood at 25.4%, while IndiGo’s was at 54.6%.

Meanwhile, leadership change has also been visible across the aviation sector. IndiGo recently saw the exit of CEO Pieter Elbers, who stepped down citing personal reasons after facing pressure following a major operational disruption in December 2025 that impacted hundreds of flights and stranded nearly three lakh passengers. The airline has since appointed former British Airways chief Willie Walsh as its new CEO, who is expected to take charge by August 3, subject to requisite approvals.