During a recent townhall, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson announced that annual salary increments for employees would be deferred by at least one quarter due to significant external challenges, including the closure of Pakistan airspace and soaring aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, which now comprise 50-60% of operating costs. The airline is projected to incur losses exceeding ₹22,000 crore (approximately $2.65 billion USD) in the fiscal year 2025-26, a sharp increase from the previous year's loss of ₹10,859 crore (roughly $1.3 billion USD). Despite these challenges, Wilson highlighted that Air India has experienced strong revenue growth since its privatization in 2022, with an average annual growth rate of 40% until 2025. The airline is focusing on cost management, urging employees to cut discretionary spending and eliminate waste. Operationally, improvements have been noted, with domestic on-time performance increasing from 73% to 76% and customer satisfaction, as measured by the Net Promoter Score, rising from 20 to 30 in March 2026. Air India is also enhancing its network efficiency and fleet capabilities, aiming to strengthen its position in the competitive aviation market.