NEW DELHI: Air India CEO & MD Campbell Wilson has informed its passengers that a phased restoration of the airline’s international operations has commenced from August 1. Full resumption is expected to be completed by October 1. He also conceded that operational challenges have impacted travel experience on Air India’s flights in the past few weeks.
Air India had declared a voluntary 'safety pause' on its operations on June 19 in the aftermath of the Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, which led to multiple safety checks being undertaken.
In a mail sent to all Maharaja Club members (Air India’s Loyalty Programme) recently, Wilson said, “With care and responsibility, we have begun a phased restoration of international operations from August 1, 2025, with full resumption targeted for October 1, 2025. This measured approach ensures we complete every verification thoroughly and resume service with complete confidence.”
Detailed inspections of our fleet of Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft have been carried out overseen by the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). “We confirm that no issues were found during these inspections. As with some other international airlines, we also inspected the fuel control switch mechanism of Boeing 737 and 787-8 aircraft, likewise with no findings,” he said.
Wilson added, “The voluntary “Safety Pause” I had communicated in my last email on 19 June, 2025 continues, entailing a temporary reduction in our schedule to accommodate additional pre-flight checks and mitigate the impact of regional airspace closures. We also took the opportunity of additional ground time to accelerate upgrades to improve aircraft reliability and to strengthen how we manage delays and disruptions.”
Detailing the safety protocols, the CEO said that every aircraft was subjected to thorough checks before take-off by trained engineers and pilots. Maintenance was carried out at certified facilities before and between flights. “Our pilots, cabin crew, and engineers train regularly at the Air India Training Academy, ensuring full alignment with the latest safety procedures and global best practices and our Integrated Operations Control Centre tracks every flight in real time, monitoring weather, crew, and aircraft performance,” his mail said.
Air India’s processes are backed by a comprehensive Safety Management System aligned with global aviation standards and fully compliant with DGCA and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines. Air India’s recent results in the DGCA annual audit are “entirely normal” for an airline of our scale and scope, he added.
The MD conceded that operational challenges have impacted the travel experience of flyers over the last few weeks. “We take this seriously and we are committed to strengthening our internal processes to minimise the inconvenience that such circumstances cause to you,” he added.