‘This year is a real year of transformation for Air India’: CEO Campbell Wilson

HYDERABAD: A few days after Air India ushered in a significant new chapter in its transformation journey with the arrival of its first line-fit Boeing 787-9, custom-built for the airline, its CEO Campbell Wilson said that this year will be one of transformation for the airline.

Speaking at Wings India 2026, Wilson highlighted that the airline is entering a pivotal phase with the introduction of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, specifically designed and built for the carrier. “So this year is a real year of transformation for Air India. We have the first of these line-fit 787 Dreamliners coming. We have three more coming this year, two more A350 1000s towards the end of the year,” he said.

#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: On the ‘Wings India 2026’, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson says, “… It is wonderful to have our first 787 Dreamliner, which was designed and built specifically for Air India, here on show. It was wonderful to be able to show it to Minister Naidu… pic.twitter.com/HQZVYGDirs

— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026

Wilson mentioned that it was wonderful to show it to Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. According to Wilson, “This year, we’re going to see at least 20 of these world-class widebody aircraft operating the Air India fleet to Europe, to East Asia, to Australia, and more to come… Certainly, in 2027 and 2028, we see a huge transformation in the Air India long-haul wide-body fleet. The domestic fleet has already been nearly entirely upgraded. So it means a better product for people, a higher business class cabin to accommodate more corporate traffic”

Wilson projected a huge transformation in the Air India long-haul wide-body fleet through 2027 and 2028. The airline also begins taking delivery of retrofitted legacy aircraft, specifically the 787-8s, as part of its fleet modernisation strategy.

The Air India CEO emphasised the importance of the Wings India event in focusing attention on India as a market and a place to do business. He said the event allows people from different companies, both from India and around the world, to interact and find ways to collaborate.

Wings India 2026, held at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, serves as a platform for the Indian aviation sector under the theme “Indian Aviation: Paving the Future – From Design to Deployment, Manufacturing to Maintenance, Inclusivity to Innovation and Safety to Sustainability.”

Organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India, and FICCI, the four-day event covers commercial, general, business aviation, and advanced air mobility. The four-day event opened on Wednesday, January 28, with an exhibition inauguration, a static aircraft display visit, and specialised roundtables focusing on airports, aircraft leasing, and helicopters.

The first day also features a Global CEOs Forum, discussions on airline growth and women in aviation, a ministerial plenary, and the official inaugural session. Evening activities include the Wings India Awards 2026, followed by a cultural evening, drone and aerial shows, and a networking dinner.

The subsequent days focus on technical and industrial growth, starting Thursday with roundtables on MRO, air cargo, business aviation, and aircraft component manufacturing. Sessions continue with discussions on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), aviation skilling, advanced air mobility, and drones.

On Friday and Saturday, the venue hosts a large-scale exhibition, flying displays, and B2B/B2G meetings, alongside an aviation job fair and student competitions, before the event officially closes at 1700 Hrs on January 31. (ANI)