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BusinessQuiet 9d · day 9

Air India CEO vows to expand wide-body fleet, targets profitability 'very soon'

New CEO Tewolde Gebremariam charts growth strategy focused on international market share and operational efficiency.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 8d ago9 pieces Google NewsNewswires

What to know

  • Air India's new CEO Tewolde Gebremariam is pursuing additional wide-body aircraft orders from Airbus and Boeing to expand long-haul international operations and regain market share from foreign carriers.
  • The airline currently operates 61 wide-body aircraft with 10 more on delivery from an existing order of 80, and CEO says profitability is achievable "very soon" through revenue growth and cost efficiencies.
  • Strategy includes leveraging India's large diaspora and developing multiple hub airports to compete with major Asian aviation hubs and increase international-to-international connecting traffic.
  • Shareholders Tata and Singapore Airlines are committed to long-term transformation, viewing Air India as capable of becoming a world-class airline despite current challenges from airspace closures and geopolitical conflicts.

“he is focussed on making the loss-making airline a profitable business, and expressed hope that profitability will come "very soon" through a combination of revenue growth and enhanced efficiencies on the cost side.”

Tewolde Gebremariam, Air India CEO and MD · Indian Express ↗ · Nov 2

Tewolde Gebremariam CEO and MD, Air IndiaAir India Airline carrierTata Group Primary shareholder of Air IndiaSingapore Airlines Shareholder of Air India

Air India CEO vows to expand wide-body fleet, targets profitability 'very soon'
Indian Express

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articles

Peak 7 pieces in two hours at Nov 3, 2 AM; 9 pieces over 9 days (9 articles) Nov 3, 2 AM — 7 pieces · 7 articles — Google News 6, Newswires 1Nov 3, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 3, 6 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Nov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietNov 7, 12 AM — quietNov 7, 2 AM — quietNov 7, 4 AM — quietNov 7, 6 AM — quietNov 7, 8 AM — quietNov 7, 10 AM — quietNov 7, 12 PM — quietNov 7, 2 PM — quietNov 7, 4 PM — quietNov 7, 6 PM — quietNov 7, 8 PM — quietNov 7, 10 PM — quietNov 8, 12 AM — quietNov 8, 2 AM — quietNov 8, 4 AM — quietNov 8, 6 AM — quietNov 8, 8 AM — quietNov 8, 10 AM — quietNov 8, 12 PM — quietNov 8, 2 PM — quietNov 8, 4 PM — quietNov 8, 6 PM — quietNov 8, 8 PM — quietNov 8, 10 PM — quietNov 9, 12 AM — quietNov 9, 2 AM — quietNov 9, 4 AM — quietNov 9, 6 AM — quietNov 9, 8 AM — quietNov 9, 10 AM — quietNov 9, 12 PM — quietNov 9, 2 PM — quietNov 9, 4 PM — quietNov 9, 6 PM — quietNov 9, 8 PM — quietNov 9, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quietToday, 2 PM — quietToday, 4 PM — quietToday, 6 PM — quiet 1–2
Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9yesterdaynow · 8:40 PM ET
  1. background

    Air India CEO outlines strategy to leverage Indian diaspora and create hub competition — Gebremariam identified the large Indian diaspora worldwide as a significant market segment and said the airline aims to increase international-to-international connecting traffic, requiring a larger wide-body fleet. He noted India could develop multiple major hub airports to compete with Asian hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Singapore.

  2. 2

    CEO highlights airline's underperformance, vows turnaround

    Gebremariam stated that Air India has been "punching below its weight" but signaled the airline and shareholders Tata and Singapore Airlines are committed to long-term growth and building a world-class carrier.

    “According to Gebremariam, Air India has been "punching below its weight" but that will change in the time to come.”
    — Tewolde Gebremariam
    1. 2 outlets 'Punching below its weight': Air India CEO Tewolde Gebremariam vows to turn around airline profitability

      first by The Times of India, 8d ago · also Times of India

      1 more headline
  3. 1

    Tewolde Gebremariam outlines expansion strategy for Air India

    Air India's new CEO announced plans to order additional wide-body aircraft to boost international operations and regain market share from foreign carriers. He expressed confidence that profitability will come "very soon" through revenue growth and cost efficiencies.

    “We're talking to them (Airbus and Boeing). We want to increase our order of wide-bodies…our network, our strategy demands more.”
    — Tewolde Gebremariam
    1. 3 outlets Air India targets international market share, plans more wide-body orders

      first by BusinessLine, 8d ago · also The Economic Times, Reuters

      2 more headlines
    2. 2 outlets ‘Impatient for profitability’: Air India CEO wants more wide-body aircraft

      first by Indian Express, 8d ago · also The Indian Express