How far Air India has progressed on its comprehensive transformation plan Vihaan.AI unveiled in 2022 September, to establish itself, once again, as a world-class global airline.
Since unveiling its ambitious Vihaan.AI roadmap in September 2022, Air India has made measurable progress in its effort to re-emerge as a world-class global carrier.
The transformation, led under the Tata Group, aims to shift the airline from its public sector legacy into a modern, customer-centric corporate aviation brand.
Vision and strategic reset
Vihaan.AI, meaning “dawn of a new era”, lays out a five-year blueprint anchored in five pillars: customer experience, operational reliability, talent, industry leadership, and profitability.
The plan focuses on a full-stack overhaul spanning fleet, network, technology, and service standards, with a target to capture at least 30% of the domestic market while expanding its global footprint.
Taxi phase: Fixing the fundamentals
The first phase, “Taxi,” concluded in April 2023 and focused on stabilising operations and addressing legacy issues. Key customer-facing initiatives included a $400 million commitment toward aircraft refurbishment, upgraded onboard menus, the introduction of premium economy on select long-haul routes, and the settlement of over one million pending refund cases.
The airline also strengthened its workforce by onboarding over 3,800 employees, rolling out new HR policies, and launching training programmes such as Saksham and ACE to improve service delivery.
Growth and fleet expansion
A defining milestone was the order of 470 aircraft, the largest in aviation history, alongside the induction of 36 leased aircraft, including widebodies.
Air India also expanded its international network with new routes and increased frequencies, while recording improvements in key metrics such as load factor, cargo revenue, and RASK, which rose 17% year-on-year.
Digital and operational overhaul
Air India has committed $200 million toward digital transformation, including cloud migration, CRM integration, and upgraded operational systems. Investments in crew tools and customer interfaces aim to modernise the travel experience end-to-end.
Operationally, the airline has emerged among the most improved in domestic on-time performance, backed by enhanced engineering capabilities, safety systems, and reliability programmes in partnership with global OEMs.
Sustainability and global integration
On the sustainability front, Air India has partnered with the CSIR – Indian Institute of Petroleum for sustainable aviation fuel initiatives. It has also re-engaged with global aviation bodies such as International Air Transport Association and strengthened alliances, including reactivating multiple codeshare agreements.
Take Off phase and leadership outlook
With the transition into the “Take Off” phase, the focus has shifted to scaling operations, building advanced systems, and driving excellence.
While leadership changes, including the potential impact of CEO Campbell Wilson stepping down, may raise questions, the transformation blueprint appears institutionally anchored.