Golden age of Air India lies ahead: Tata Group chief

TATA Group chief N Chandrasekaran on Thursday (27) reached out to employees of Air India asking them to work together to build the airline that “the country needs”.

He asserted that the "golden age" of the carrier lies ahead.

In a welcome letter to the employees of Air India after the Tata Group took over its management control, Chandrasekaran, the chairman of Tata Sons, reflected on the airline's "brilliant past" but said the entire nation is now waiting to see what "we will achieve together".

"From the day of the announcement (of Tatas winning the bid), one word has been on everyone's lips: Homecoming. We are proud to welcome Air India back into the Tata family, after all these years," he wrote.

Chandrasekaran said, "I, like many others, have enjoyed reflecting on stories from the airline's brilliant past. My first flight was with Air India in December 1986, and I will never forget how special it felt to be on board or the exhilaration as we soared into the sky."

He, however, said while such memories are wonderful, now is the time to look ahead.

"Today is the beginning of a new chapter. The entire nation's eyes are on us, waiting to see what we will achieve together. To build the airlines our country needs, we need to look to the future," Chandrasekaran said.

Stating that the Tata Group has its "own storied past", he said, "it is evolving, adapting and embracing the future… I am convinced that the golden age of Air India lies ahead. Our journey towards it starts now. Welcome. And welcome back."

In a separate social media post themed "Looking back, looking forward", Chandrasekaran reiterated that Tata Group is committed to making Air India a world-class airline.

Recollecting his maiden flight, he said, “I was a young intern then, at Tata Consultancy Services. I vividly recall, even after all this time, how I felt that day."

"There was also a strong sense of belongingness."

Media reports said there will be enhanced meal services in Air India flights under the new management and the passengers will be referred to as guests.