Foreign airlines have reaped benefits of growing Indian market, says Wilson

'The structure that has prevailed has not been conducive for a healthy industry'

India has, in some respect, not been able to control its own destiny as a consequence of not having a healthy domestic airline industry, according to Air India chief Campbell Wilson.

"As a consequence of not having a healthy domestic airline industry, India has in some respects is not able to control its own destiny. Some foreign airlines coming into India have been the ones that have reaped the benefits of the growing Indian market as opposed to the Indian airlines," Wilson said.

Wilson, who is piloting Air India’s massive expansion plans in terms of fleet as well as routes, also said that IndiGo succeeding well and Tata airlines coming together provides a good competitor to the strength of IndiGo.

 

“It should hopefully allow for a market that is more sustainable, ideally profitable that will allow airlines to invest in new products, expand network and also lead India to assume its place on the world aviation stage...,” he said.

Tata Group took over Air India and Air India Express from the government in January last year.

"We continue to make sure that we put in the investments in aircraft, products, people and systems. We will have a significantly sized, professionally run, expansion-oriented high quality airline," Wilson said.

He also said that Air India is investing $70 billion at list price for 470 new aircraft and that is with the explicit purpose of providing more services, especially international connectivity.

As Air India flies to more places non-stop from India and also builds a hub, then hopefully, the airline will catalyse further broader development of the country's aviation industry. "That will be good for all the parties and not just the airline itself," he noted.