As a result, Air India has been sending aircraft to multiple international locations for servicing, including Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Turkey. However, Wilson confirmed that in light of recent events, Air India is actively seeking other providers.

“Aircraft must be maintained — we have no choice about that. Some aircraft are already under maintenance, but for those about to enter refurbishment, we’re exploring alternative service providers.”

When asked if this could mean severing ties with Turkish Technic, Wilson was direct: “Yes. I think we want to respect public sentiment. If there is a concern about continuing business in this fashion, we’ll find alternatives.”

Separately, Wilson addressed concerns raised over pilot fatigue on ultra-long-haul routes, especially with longer flight paths resulting from ongoing airspace restrictions over Pakistan.

“Let’s be clear — flight duty time limits are prescribed by the regulator and based on hard science. We fully comply with those limits,” he stated, assuring that safety is not being compromised.

Wilson also reaffirmed Air India’s focus on fleet modernisation, with major refurbishment underway across aircraft as part of the carrier’s broader transformation since its return to private ownership.