NEW DELHI: Air India’s transformation to a world class airline, following its return to founder Tata Group in 2022, could take up to a decade due to serious headwinds the aviation industry and the Maharaja have encountered in recent years.The earlier assessment of giving the airline a facelift in five years under Vihaan programme has proven to be a grossly optimistic one, requiring a reset of timelines.“Given where it began, AI’s transformation must be seen as a five- to 10-year journey, considering years-long supply chain disruptions in key components, need to overhaul legacy systems, culture and fleet, and creation of a large cadre of technical and airline professionals,” Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran said.He pointed to issues AI has faced that have caused timeline overrun. “Few businesses are as vulnerable to war and fuel pressures as aviation. This year, Air India faced three headwinds. Airspace closures, West Asia conflict-driven fuel price hikes and foreign exchange fluctuations. Crash of AI 171 made it the most challenging year for Air India.”
