N Chandrasekaran says Air India's next phase to focus on customer trust, 'safety above everything else'

New Delhi: Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran has reaffirmed the airline's focus on safety, customer trust, operational excellence and financial sustainability as it enters its next phase of transformation.

According to sources, speaking at an internal meeting, Chandrasekaran stressed that restoring trust in Air India must remain the airline's foremost priority, and said this would require world-class processes, rigorous compliance and personal accountability across the organisation, as per industry sources.

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"The most important thing Air India should aspire to have is trust in the minds of people. Air India must be known for caring about safety above everything else. Our safety record should not just match the best airlines in the world, it should be better than the best," sources quoted him as saying.

Chandrasekaran, along with outgoing CEO and MD Campbell Wilson and incoming CEO and MD Tewolde Gebremariam, addressed employees at a town hall on Monday.

Thanking employees for their contribution over the past four years, Chandrasekaran said Air India holds a unique position in the country and has a special place in the hearts of Indians worldwide.

"For me, bringing Air India back to the Tata Group is one of the most important milestones of my career, a very very significant event. Air India belongs to a billion people. It is not just another business," he said, adding, "It is probably the only business that a billion people talk about, have views on, criticise fiercely and appreciate at times. But one thing we should always remember is that all these one billion people are rooting for Air India. That is our biggest strength," he said.

He acknowledged that the past 18 months had been particularly challenging for the airline, with geopolitical disruptions, airspace closures, fuel volatility and the tragic AI171 accident impacting operations and performance.

He also emphasised the need to deliver a more consistent customer experience and remain agile amid a rapidly evolving operating environment. Stressing the importance of financial sustainability, Chandrasekaran urged employees to foster a stronger culture of cost consciousness across the organisation.