But all eyes in 2024 will be glued on Air India, which on January 27, will celebrate turning two or rather completing two years with a new pilot in the cockpit. While Air India has so far focussed and got the easy part done, the hard part is yet to follow. Ordering aircraft and spending lavishly on a brand upgrade was perhaps not the ideal first step for the infant in its new avatar but this is what it chose to do.

Safety has been a big concern among fliers for most of this year as Air India remained under India’s safety watchdog the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) lens for a series of violations. On the international routes, some positive feedback is coming in on the leased aircraft service but most of Air India’s own aircraft are in too poor a shape and will take a while to refurbish and revamp. Domestic too remains far less reliable and efficient than IndiGo and even sister Vistara. Domestic Air India flights are often late with haphazard boarding. Staff, however, appear to have pulled up their socks when compared with its grumpy public sector days. They are more pleasant and on the ball, possibly a direct consequence of the Tata takeover.

Now, passengers are looking forward to an Air India fully walking the talk and delivering a high quality, efficient, on-time, incident-free service both internationally and domestically. This is the big expectation from the Indian public and while the jury is out on whether 2024 will deliver on this count, many are certain that by 2025, things should be markedly better. 2024 is also likely to see the full merger of Vistara into Air India, which employees are resigned to and fliers - a small but loyal set - are wary of.

The good news however is that 2024 and 2025 are largely expected to wipe out some of the losses the industry totted up during the pandemic and post it. IATA has predicted a US $ 25.7 billion profit for airlines globally in 2024 with a 2.7% net profit margin. How the Indian carriers individually fare depends of course on a whole lot of factors peculiar to the local context, including how those who drive these airlines cope and choose to steer their businesses. From the government’s end, a thorough look at all the taxes and how to make aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices paid in India more compatible with global rates would help matters.

If Wishes Were Horses…

Perhaps one of the biggest problems facing the aviation industry currently is the shortage of trained, senior and skilled commanders but it is fair to say that the sector as a whole is very short on talent, especially at the top management level.

While both Air India and IndiGo have CEOs who are from overseas, Air India recently brought in a COO from overseas besides a head of safety. This has been the story of private Indian carriers from the word go. That’s why the industry is looking forward as much to the new proposed aviation academy that the Tata group is in the process of starting and which will be headed by the former CEO of AirAsia India Sunil Bhaskaran, as it is to a revamped service and airline. Expectations are that the academy will go beyond just pilot, crew and engineer training but also offer specialised management courses for those keen to make a career in the sector so India becomes more Atma Nirbhar in this crucial aspect.

Another big concern for the sector and fliers remains safety and this is more of a concern with the smaller airlines as they face financial troubles. Typically, in such times, the carriers tend to delay routine maintenance checks and “cannibalise” parts from aircraft that are grounded for use in those which are still flying. This is something that the authorities need to be vigilant of at all times in India’s context. With its tendency and comfort level with “jugaad”, safety in general is something the authorities in India and those responsible within airlines cannot afford to take their eyes off at any and all times.

In the past few months and for most of this year, the spotlight has been on commanders and crew after a series of unexplained deaths were reported even among the younger crew members (age group 30-45) in the sector. The most recent was the death of a 37-year-old Air India commander on duty, ostensibly on account of heart trouble although the root cause behind these incidents remains unknown — it could be unhealthy lifestyles, after effects of Covid-19, or other undetected illnesses. Some even believe it could be related to Covid vaccines. Nonetheless, the untimely deaths threw the spotlight on how pilots and crew suffer from excessive fatigue because of the nature of their job. On November 8, the DGCA, India’s safety regulator issued a new set of draft rules and guidelines on flight duty timings to ensure that pilots get adequate rest, which need to be finalised and set in stone. Disgruntled or unfit pilots are the last thing passengers need or the sector can afford.

Last but not least, a recent incident at a flying training school threw the spotlight yet again on the functioning of DGCA and how corruption in the organisation continues to thrive and endanger lives. A thorough relook and revamp of this body is something the sector needed yesterday. From the aviation sector point of view, 2024 can no longer afford to overlook this critical aspect.

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