- SUMMARY
- Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has blamed AIESL for delivering an unfit aircraft, leading to delay on DEL-YVR delay.
- He admitted that there is room for more improvement.
- By the end of this year, the airline's contract with AIESL is set to lapse.
In the past few weeks, three USA-bound flights of Air India were delayed by more than 24 hours, and passengers were kept inside the aircraft cabin for a long time. Because of the scorching heat, many people specifically the older citizens fainted inside the cabin.
On the sidelines of the IATA Annual General Meeting, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson talked about these lengthy delays. He discussed the circumstances that led to these delays and how the airline is looking to reduce them. In the third lengthy delay incident, Wilson blamed AIESL for delivering an unfit aircraft.
Air India CEO Blames AIESL For Vancouver Flight Delay
On June 1, Air India flight AI 185 from Delhi to Vancouver which was scheduled to depart at 05:20 AM was rescheduled to the next day after a nine-hour delay. The aircraft, a Boeing 777 registered as VT-ALJ expected to operate that flight was ferried from Nagpur to Delhi on the same day.
The aircraft was in Nagpur for scheduled maintenance checks. Air India undertakes engineering services from AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), which is based in Nagpur. After the checks, the aircraft returned to Delhi.
Upon inspection, it was found that the aircraft lacked the nozzle essential for filling drinking water. Because of this, the Boeing 777 was deemed unfit to fly. Air India CEO blamed AIESL for delivering an unfit aircraft leading to this delay.
Air India CEO: Delays Could Have Been Handled Better
During the discussion, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson talked about the Delhi to San Francisco flight delay, which departed after a massive delay of 30 hours. He said that there was room for improvement and that the airline could have handled this delay in a better way.
He shared the circumstances which led to this situation. The aircraft had technical glitches. Ground handling units were having technical issues. The air conditioning system or the Ground Power Unit (GPU) at the airport was not powerful enough to cool down the aircraft. The temperature in Delhi was peaking. Add to this, some passengers dropped their travel plans, resulting in their deboarding.
Such incidents tell about the airline’s low-key points. Wilson said that there are lessons to be learned in areas such as better compensation and improved communication with affected passengers.
Developing In-House Engineering Unit
In December 2024, Air India will complete two years of privatization. With this, it will have the freedom to end the contract with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL). Now that the Lok Sabha elections are concluded, we can expect some progress in the privatization process of AIESL and Alliance Air.
Air India is developing its in-house engineering and maintenance unit at Bengaluru Airport. By the end of 2025, the airline will have a full-fledged MRO facility, with aircraft hangars and component repair shops. It has partnered with SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) to establish the facility.
Once the merger clearances are granted, SIA will become an official partner of Air India with a stake of 25.1%.
Conclusion
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has blamed the Nagpur unit of AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) for delivering an unfit aircraft, leading to the lengthy delay of the Delhi to Vancouver flight. He admitted that the delays could have been handled in a better way. There are various aspects for improvement like communication and compensation.
What do you think about these comments from the Air India CEO? Discuss in the comment section.
With Inputs From The Hindustan Times
Featured Image Credits: Air India via Social Media
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