Air India’s Campbell Wilson Replaced: Who is Nipun Aggarwal?

In a strategic leadership transition within the Tata Group’s aviation sector, Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Air India, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the airline's low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express. This change follows the resignation of Campbell Wilson, who will continue to serve as the Managing Director and CEO of Air India.

Aggarwal joined Air India in January 2022, shortly after Tata Group’s acquisition of the airline. He played a pivotal role in the takeover and has since overseen key business functions, including aircraft acquisition, financing, network strategy, and loyalty program management. His influence has extended across multiple verticals, positioning him as a key architect of Air India’s ongoing transformation.

According to Reuters, Aggarwal has also been instrumental in leading Air India’s multi-billion-dollar aircraft deals. The airline is currently exploring additional widebody jet acquisitions, a move crucial for global expansion but complicated by industry-wide aircraft delivery delays.

Nearly two years into its ownership of Air India, Tata Group has undertaken a major consolidation of its aviation portfolio. It merged four airline entities into two core carriers: the full-service Air India (including Vistara) and the low-cost Air India Express (now integrated with AirAsia India). The move aims to create synergy across operations, optimize fleet utilization, and present a unified brand experience.

“With this structural work largely complete, the task at hand now [is] to fully leverage and optimize the Group fleet, network, sales, distribution, and loyalty assets,” Wilson said in an internal memo, as quoted by Reuters.

Despite the ambitious roadmap, Air India’s turnaround has been complicated by delays in aircraft deliveries. The airline is being forced to operate older jets longer than anticipated, resulting in higher maintenance costs and slowing the modernization and expansion drive—even as global air travel sees a post-pandemic boom.

According to Reuters, Air India had placed a massive order for 470 aircraft last year, including Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A350 jets. However, ongoing supply chain constraints and geopolitical tensions have impacted timely delivery.

Following a Bloomberg News report that China has instructed its airlines to halt Boeing aircraft deliveries amid a tariff dispute with the United States of America. The news further cited that Air India might consider acquiring some of the jets rejected by Chinese carriers for use in its low-cost operations. However, sources cautioned that the situation remains fluid, and neither Air India nor Boeing has commented on the development.

Air India Express currently operates a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, including 68 Boeing 737s and 36 Airbus A320s. The airline plans to expand further by adding approximately 15 aircraft in the current fiscal year, which began on April 1. Some of these new additions will be transferred from Air India.

The Express brand plays a complementary role to its parent carrier, focusing on budget travelers while aligning its network strategy to avoid overlap. Under Aggarwal’s leadership, the airline is expected to tighten operational integration and accelerate Tata’s vision of a cohesive, world-class airline group.