Air India’s New CEO Tewolde Gebremariam Puts Safety First, Aims to ‘Make Air India Great Again’

Air India's incoming chief executive officer and managing director, Tewolde Gebremariam, has pledged safety, operational efficiency, and rebuilding customer confidence as his top priorities as he prepares to lead the Tata Group-owned airline. At a town hall meeting, Gebremariam, who brings a strong safety record from his tenure at Ethiopian Airlines, emphasized the need for a safety-first culture and emphasized that employees should feel empowered to report any concerns regarding safety standards.

The 61-year-old former Ethiopian Airlines CEO sees Air India as a historic legacy and a globally recognized aviation brand, aiming to restore its position in the industry. Air India's Chairman, N. Chandrasekaran, stressed the importance of focusing on reliability, customer experience, and cost efficiency as the airline continues its transformation journey.

The airline has faced recent challenges, including a sudden altitude loss incident and a fatal crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 260 lives, leading to increased scrutiny. Gebremariam vows to address these issues and aims to achieve safety standards that surpass the world's leading airlines, through stronger processes, compliance, and accountability.