Air India to fully resume international operations by Oct 1: CEO Campbell Wilson

Air India CEO and managing director Campbell Wilson on Wednesday said that the airline has begun a phased restoration of international operations from August 1, 2025, with full resumption targeted for October 1, 2025.

“This measured approach ensures we complete every verification thoroughly and resume service with complete confidence,” the Air India CEO said in a message to Maharaja Club members.

Following the tragic accident of AI171 in June, Wilson said it is understandable that there is heightened scrutiny, coverage, and concern about air travel.

Air India carried out a detailed inspection of its fleet of Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft following the crash. Each aircraft underwent inspections under the oversight of India's aviation regulator, the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation). “We confirm that no issues were found during these inspections. As with some other international airlines, we also inspected the fuel control switch mechanism of Boeing 737 and 787-8 aircraft, likewise with no findings. We continue to work closely with regulators, maintaining full transparency and ensuring that every action we take aligns with the highest standards of safety and care,” said Wilson.

Air India had slashed international services on widebody aircraft by 15% since June 19. This happened after India’s aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) mandated ‘Enhanced Safety Inspection’ across Air India’s Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft fleet.

“The voluntary 'Safety Pause' I had communicated in my last email on 19 June, 2025 continues, entailing a temporary reduction in our schedule to accommodate additional pre-flight checks and mitigate the impact of regional airspace closures. We also took the opportunity of additional ground time to accelerate upgrades to improve aircraft reliability and to strengthen how we manage delays and disruptions,” said Wilson.

Air India’s regular safety protocols are rigorous and multi-layered, with every aircraft undergoing thorough checks before take-off by trained engineers and pilots, said the airline’s CEO. “Maintenance is conducted at certified facilities before and between flights. Our pilots, cabin crew, and engineers train regularly at the Air India Training Academy, ensuring full alignment with the latest safety procedures and global best practices and our Integrated Operations Control Centre tracks every flight in real time, monitoring weather, crew, and aircraft performance,” he added.

Since privatisation, Air India has also proactively commissioned management consulting firm Oliver Wyman to perform a full safety assessment and engaged Boeing to conduct an Operational Efficacy Program, Wilson said, adding that both are aimed at further strengthening and modernising processes and practices.

“I acknowledge that there have been some operational challenges over the last few weeks that may have impacted your travel experience. Rest assured, we take this seriously and we are committed to strengthening our internal processes to minimise the inconvenience that such circumstances cause to you. Alongside, our broader efforts to modernise operations continue in full swing, including our retrofit programme which will significantly elevate your in-flight experience,” Wilson said.