Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO and MD-designate, Air India
Tata Group-led Air India will focus on improving revenue as well as cost performance while strengthening safety and operational reliability, said Tewolde Gebremariam, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director-designate.
Speaking to employees at his first company-wide townhall, Tewolde, who will assume charge after receiving all necessary regulatory approvals, said sustainable profitability remains a key objective as the airline progresses through its transformation.
Accordingly, revenue enhancement initiatives across the airline’s international network, commercial activities and cargo business are under discussion.
Besides, Air India plans to introduce programmes to reward employee ideas that deliver measurable cost savings and operational efficiencies.
Financial Performance
“We must improve both revenue and cost performance. Revenue enhancement initiatives are already under discussion, including opportunities across our international network, commercial activities and cargo business,” he said.
While acknowledging that external factors have affected the airline’s path to breakeven, Tewolde emphasised the need to maintain focus on financial performance.
“Cost management is not just the responsibility of leadership or the finance function. Every employee can contribute to savings, and those savings add up across an organisation of our scale,” he said.
Notably, Tewolde’s remarks come as the airline navigates geopolitical developments, airspace restrictions affecting Indian carriers, elevated fuel prices and uncertainty in key international markets.
On expansion, Tewolde said scale is critical in an industry characterised by high capital investment, significant fixed costs and intense competition.
Expansion Discipline
However, he pointed out that growth would need to be supported by readiness across the airline’s people, fleet and network.
“Growth is the oxygen of business. But growth must also be profitable and sustainable. We will pursue expansion in a disciplined manner and ensure our people, fleet and network are ready to support it,” he said.
Furthermore, Tewolde said that Air India continues to evaluate opportunities to improve network efficiency, optimise fleet deployment and rebalance operations to strengthen its long-term competitiveness.
At the same time, Tewolde identified safety as the airline’s foremost priority, calling for a culture in which employees can raise concerns and report issues without hesitation.
“If you see something, say something. The stronger our reporting culture, the stronger our safety culture,” he said.
On operational reliability, he emphasised punctuality, baggage handling, transparent communication during disruptions and quicker service recovery as key to strengthening customer confidence.
“Our customers should remember Air India for its reliability. They should be confident that flights will depart and arrive on time, baggage will travel with them and that when disruptions occur, we should communicate transparently and recover quickly,” he said.
Customer Priority
Additionally, Tewolde said that frontline teams would be empowered and supported to take decisions that improve outcomes for customers.
Meanwhile, he called for streamlining operations and building synergies wherever possible across the Air India Group, while retaining a focus on customers.
In addition, he said India’s economic growth, favourable demographics, geographic position and large global diaspora provide a strong foundation for the airline’s future.
“These factors give us confidence that if we execute well and remain focused on our customers, Air India can become not only one of the largest airlines in the world, but among the very best,” he said.
Published on September 28, 2026
