Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran on Thursday said the best of artificial intelligence and machine learning will be deployed at Air India and emphasised that the airline is not just another business for the group but a passion and a national mission.
Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
As Tata Group steers the transformation of loss-making Air India since taking control in January last year, Chandrasekaran said that he most of the time receives “caring criticism” about the airline that also further strengthens the commitment.
Speaking at an event in the national capital where Air India’s new brand identity and aircraft livery were unveiled, he said the focus is on upgrading all human resources aspects in the airline.
According to him, there is a lot of hard work needed but the path is clear for the airline, and added that the best of artificial intelligence and machine learning will be deployed at the airline.
“We are focusing on upgrading all human resources aspects of the airline.
“Our fleet requires a lot of work. While we have ordered one of the largest fleet orders, it will take time.
“In the meantime, we have to refurbish our current fleet at an acceptable level.
“Our aim is to have the best of machine learning and the best of AI in Air India than any other airline,” he said.
Chandrasekaran, who is also the chairman of Air India, said that today is a very important milestone.
“Our vision for the airline is also in the backdrop of a new, resurgent India, where the aspiration of everyone is limitless.”
The new logo, signified by that historically used window, the peak of the golden window, signifies limitless possibilities, progressiveness, confidence and all of that, he emphasised.
“Air India is not another business for us, it’s a passion, a big national mission… we have been at work during the last 15 months or so on this journey because our vision is to make this airline world class in terms of modernity, safety, technologically-most advanced, exceptional customer service and the experience that Air India used to be known for,” Chandrasekaran said.
Tata Group took control of Air India in January 2022.
“I get at least a couple of mails a day either criticising or complimenting but even in those criticisms I receive, each and every one of them, long or short, there’s a little amount of concern and heart – how can we keep going like that?
“Can you not fix it? It is a very caring criticism most of the times so our commitment is only getting stronger every day,” Chandrasekaran said.
Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (JRD) Tata founded the airline in 1932 and named it Tata Airlines.
In 1946, the aviation division of Tata Sons was listed as Air India, and in 1948, Air India International was launched with flights to Europe.
The international service was among the first public-private partnerships in India, with the government holding 49 per cent, the Tatas keeping 25 per cent and the public owning the rest.
In 1953, Air India was nationalised and last year, the airline was taken over by the Tata Group from the government.
