AI holds meet amid airline facing West Asia conflict headwinds

Air India’s board of directors held a meeting on Thursday amid the loss-making airline facing multiple headwinds, including high jet fuel prices, due to the West Asia conflict.

The board meeting took place at Air India’s headquarters in Gurugram, Haryana.

The meeting started at around 11.30 am and went on for over three hours, according to sources.

Specific details about the discussions at the meeting could not be ascertained.

Earlier, sources had said the airline’s financials for 2025-26, cost-saving measures and selection of a new CEO were expected to be discussed at the meeting.

Current CEO and MD Campbell Wilson will be stepping down later this year.

Airspace curbs and higher jet fuel prices due to the West Asia conflict are adversely impacting the airline, which is in the midst of an ambitious transformation plan. Operational costs have gone up significantly in recent months for the carrier.

Against this backdrop, the airline is mulling various cost-saving measures.

The Air India board is chaired by Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran.

Wilson, Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong, Sanjiv Mehta, Alice Vaidyan, PR Ramesh, and PB Balaji are members of the board.