Make Air India 'Volvo' of global airlines
Spirit in the sky In 1992, civil aviation minister Madhavrao Scindia resigned when a Russian aircraft leased by Indian Airlines crashed, despite zero casualties. An emotion-first response mechanism to disasters has historically been considered appropriate for Indian audiences, unlike the more rational SOP in the West. The tragedy of AI 171 must inspire Air India to build world-beating safety protocols, on a foundation of meaningful empathy.
As per the Montreal Convention, families of perished passengers are already eligible for about ₹1.5 cr as insurance claims. Tata Sons has additionally contributed ₹1 cr, and Air India an interim of ₹25 lakh. Both chairman N Chandrasekaran and CEO Campbell Wilson have been hands-on in their commitment, while other CEOs of Tata Group are suitably aligned. In terms of emotional sincerity leading to actionable evidence, Tatas are doubtlessly delivering. They must now shift focus to hard-nosed safety considerations as a scalable service to the global flying community.
According to DGCA data, India clocked 1.61 mn domestic flyers in 2024, while globally, the number was around 9.5 bn. For starters, Air India must take complete ownership over the accident inquiry, using regulatory authorities and equipment manufacturers as allies, setting a new benchmark in process and outcomes. This will ensure that it doesn't degenerate into a 'Machine vs Man' debate with allied conspiracy theories, fuelled by zealous online speculators. Safety and integrity are the Tatas' calling cards. This should lead to a continuing culture of intelligence-sharing with other airlines, pivoted on the supreme cause of passenger safety. This can be a valuable differentiator on a runway occupied by competitive nitpicking over 'softer' virtues like comfort, cuisine and entertainment.Such an approach also makes sense in a digital search-intensive customer cohort, increasingly willing to pay a premium for 'hygiene' virtues, as proven by diverse categories like autos and wellness. 60% of Indian customers evaluate online prior to purchase, mirroring a global pattern. Air India is uniquely positioned to re-emphasise a safety-first credo to a customer base, equipped to co-create the emerging narrative.The Air India Flying Training Academy at Amravati, Maharashtra, can be a vital pillar for this momentum, with the 'knowledge' resilience of the Tatas pooling in to build a leading facility. To this, one can add maintenance training and protocols, in tandem with softer but critical customer service interfaces, both physical and digital, resonating with a win-win safety mandate.Influencers and campaigns can be calibrated for in-flight customer accountability, extending to an overall 'tough love' care regime rooted in sincere empathy. In the envisioned future, Air India curated content can become globally viral for building a co-created safety culture.
In the auto universe, Volvo's culture of safety is embedded in its ethos and drives a premium for prioritising human life. A 'Zero Accidents Vision', human-centric approach, and pioneering safety innovations like the 3-point seat belt (subsequently shared universally) and various other driver assistance tools have made the Swedish multinational the byword for auto safety. Global accident data is collated to ensure a safer future ride, which is further amplified by AI. This human value system is stock-in-trade for the Tatas. Adapting it proactively for Air India will lead to credible stakeholder leverage, coming from a diversified, and not just an industry, perspective. Over time, this can become a vital demonstration of Air India's intent to be a world-class airline, passenger-first on the most vital dimensions.Several other aspects of safety, direct and extended, can be part of the airlines' agenda. The Montreal Convention, for instance, does not compensate crew members for loss of life - they are governed by employment contracts. High-rise construction near airports, endangering aircraft, is common across the world, and newer protocols must be considered. FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) clearly do not consider mental health dimensions. An amendment to these may be in order.More stringent legal provisions could deter the growing cult of unruly passengers from misbehaving. Customer-centric application of AI can smoothen the overall flying experience, from terminal management to scheduling to dietary preferences. Again, in all this, Air India can bring about a first-mover advantage.Safety is usually a point of parity in the airline industry. It can equally become a point of valuable difference. With its time-tested pedigree, the Tatas can well make Air India the thought-to-action Volvo of global aviation.The writer is an autonomous brand consultant (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Benchmarked with BSE 1000, this index fund will diversify your bets. But at a cost.
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