A serious mid-air incident, a pilot’s “failed” dope test and a regulatory probe have greeted Tewolde Gebremariam within days of taking charge as Air India’s new CEO, making for a particularly bumpy start at the airline.
Gebremariam, who transformed Ethiopian Airlines into one of Africa’s largest and most profitable carriers, now faces perhaps his toughest assignment yet. He takes over an Air India still reeling from last year’s fatal Ahmedabad-London crash, a record annual loss, heightened regulatory scrutiny, operational disruptions and a turnaround that Tata Sons has said could take up to a decade.
The latest incident involved Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4. The aircraft suffered a sudden loss of altitude of around 300 feet while cruising, after which it stabilised and continued its journey before landing safely at Delhi airport.
The aircraft was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants and eight crew members. Several people on board were injured. A total of 13 passengers and four cabin crew members were taken to hospital, with the four injured crew members suffering spinal and neck injuries.
The incident has taken on an additional dimension after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that both pilots underwent prescribed psychoactive substance screening following the occurrence.
According to the regulator and the Civil Aviation Ministry, the screening test of the pilot-in-command indicated a result that required further confirmatory testing. Samples have been sent to a designated laboratory and the final report is awaited.
Pending the investigation and completion of the prescribed process, both pilots have been taken off the roster by the DGCA.
Air India told India Today TV that post-flight screening tests had been conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols, but said the airline had not been given the results.
“We are aware that a post-flight screening test was conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols. However, the results of the test have not been shared with Air India and we are therefore not in a position to comment on any findings,” an Air India spokesperson said.
The airline also said it conducts regular drug testing of crew members in compliance with civil aviation regulations, independently of any particular flight or operational incident.
The civil aviation regulator has classified the turbulence occurrence as a “serious incident” and ordered an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The aircraft’s Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been secured for examination. The aircraft has also been moved to a hangar as investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the sudden loss of altitude.
Air India said the aircraft experienced a “momentary event” during cruise but continued to operate normally before landing safely in Delhi. The airline said it was cooperating with the investigation and had informed the aircraft manufacturer.
A DIFFICULT INHERITANCE FOR GEBREMARIAM
The turbulence incident is only the latest challenge confronting GebreMariam as he takes over an airline that operates a fleet of 198 aircraft and nearly 5,000 weekly flights to 91 destinations in India and abroad. The airline has been struggling to complete its transformation even four years after the Tata Group took it over from the government.
At the time of Wilson’s resignation as CEO in April, N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, said the airline had completed its initial phase of stabilisation and was entering a “critical execution and expansion era”.
Gebremariam has been tasked with leading that next phase as Air India continues to grapple with record financial losses, aircraft shortages, operational disruptions and the lingering fallout of last year’s fatal crash. Air India reported a record loss of nearly USD 2.3 billion (Rs 21,904.51 crore) last month, highlighting the scale of the turnaround still ahead.
Chandrasekaran has warned that transforming Air India into a consistently profitable global carrier could take up to a decade. The financial strain has coincided with operational pressures. Air India has cut nearly a third of its international operations as it grapples with aircraft shortages, supply chain constraints affecting fleet expansion and persistent operational disruptions.
The airline has faced a series of operational setbacks as well. In March, a Delhi-Vancouver flight turned back after nearly eight hours because it did not have clearance to enter Canadian airspace.
Those challenges come at a time when the broader aviation sector is also contending with higher operating costs, aircraft delivery delays, disrupted international routes and tighter regulatory scrutiny, adding further pressure on Air India’s turnaround plans.
CRASH FALLOUT STILL A CHALLENGE
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing GebreMariam is the continuing fallout from last year’s fatal Ahmedabad-London crash, which killed 260 people.
The crash represented a major setback to Air India’s transformation and continues to cast a shadow over the airline’s efforts to rebuild its reputation.
However, aviation experts spoken to by the BBC pointed to GebreMariam’s experience in handling major crises at Ethiopian Airlines as a reason for optimism.
During his decade-plus tenure at Ethiopian Airlines, he oversaw a major expansion of the carrier, with its fleet growing nearly threefold and revenue increasing more than fourfold. He was credited with turning the regional carrier into one of Africa’s largest and most profitable airline groups.
He also led Ethiopian Airlines through two major crises, the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash, which killed 157 people and the Covid pandemic.
During the pandemic, when passenger revenues collapsed, Ethiopian Airlines remained profitable by expanding its cargo operations.
That crisis-management experience could prove significant at Air India, where Gebremariam’s immediate priorities extend beyond handling safety and regulatory issues. He will also have to improve operational reliability, accelerate delayed fleet expansion and aircraft refurbishment, restore employee morale and steer the loss-making airline through the next phase of its transformation.
AIR INDIA’S NEXT PHASE
Air India said GebreMariam was unanimously selected by its board following an extensive global search. The board evaluated internal and external candidates before choosing the Ethiopian aviation executive for what it described as the airline’s “next phase of growth”.
Chandrasekaran said Gebremariam’s record made him well suited to the task.
“Tewolde’s track record in building one of the world’s most efficient and profitable airline groups makes him uniquely suited to lead Air India,” he said.
“His operational expertise, commitment to safety and vision for hub development will be instrumental as we establish Air India as a premier global carrier and a source of national pride,” Chandrasekaran added.
GebreMariam said the opportunity to rebuild Air India into a global carrier was particularly exciting.
“Air India carries an incredible legacy and the opportunity to build a world-class global airline that reflects India’s extraordinary economic potential is uniquely exciting,” he said.
Air India said that under his leadership, it would work with civil aviation authorities and regulators to strengthen India’s position as a global aviation hub, improve international connectivity and maintain high standards of aviation safety and compliance.
For the new CEO, the mandate begins under extraordinary pressure. He inherits an airline still recovering from last year’s fatal crash, grappling with record financial losses, aircraft shortages and operational disruptions, while now confronting a serious mid-air incident that has triggered an AAIB investigation and a regulatory probe into one of its pilots.
Balancing Air India’s long-term transformation with the immediate task of restoring confidence among passengers, regulators and employees will be among his biggest tests.
– Ends
(With inputs from Amit Bhardwaj)
Published On:
Aug 10, 2026 10:12 IST
