NEW DELHI: “Safety, reliability, profitability and pursuing disciplined and sustainable growth.” Air India‘s CEO and MD (proposed) Tewolde Gebremariam on Monday set these priorities out for the struggling airline group in his first Town Hall with employees. Apart from widening losses, AI’s safety practices and alleged lack of discipline among crew are under the scanner since last June’s Ahmedabad crash and then the recent case of a badly rattled Phuket-Delhi flight whose pilot-in-command was subsequently sacked for failing dope test on arrival.External environment is also tough – airspace closures (particularly Pakistan), rising crude prices, rupee’s weakness and global uncertainty – which are common to all Indian carriers. Foreign airlines can overfly Pakistan.Gebremariam, who is awaiting regulatory clearance to take over the role, said India’s favourable demographics, strong economic growth, geographic position and large global diaspora provide a “unique foundation” for AI’s future success. “These factors give us confidence that if we execute well and remain focused on our customers, AI can become not only one of the largest airlines in the world, but among the very best,” the former top boss of Ethiopian Airlines, who successfully turned around that carrier, said.He also pointed out the challenging environment and thanked the over 24,000 employees for the change the airline has seen since being taken over by Tata Group in Jan 2022. “Over the past four years, a great deal has been achieved. At the same time, there remains significant opportunity ahead of us. That is what makes this an exciting moment for AI and for all of us.” Addressing basic issues without getting distracted by promises of a flashy makeover, Gebremariam set the priorities for the airline which is trying to regain flyers’ faith.

Safety

That “would remain the airline’s foremost priority and guiding principle…. every Air Indian has a role to play… people (be) empowered to speak up, raise concerns and report issues without hesitation. If you see something, say something. The stronger our reporting culture, the stronger our safety culture,” Gebremariam said.

Reliability

“Our customers should remember AI for its reliability. They should be confident that flights will depart and arrive on time, baggage will travel with them and when disruptions occur, we should communicate transparently and recover quickly.”

Improving financial performance

While acknowledging external factors have affected the airline’s path to breakeven, he stressed AI cannot afford to lose focus on financial performance. “We must improve both revenue and cost performance… Every employee can contribute to savings, and those savings add up across an organisation of our scale.”

Sustainable growth

“Growth is the oxygen of business. But growth must also be profitable and sustainable. We will pursue expansion in a disciplined manner and ensure our people, fleet and network are ready to support it.”