Air India shareholders have approved a Rs. 17.74 crore cash payout for outgoing chief executive officer Campbell Wilson. The amount includes Rs. 15.24 crore in lieu of shares due under a long-term incentive plan and a separate Rs. 2.5 crore reward for fiscal year 2025, as reported by Business Standard. The approval comes as the airline prepares for a leadership change after a year of widening losses.
Why Did Air India Approve the Cash Payout?
Shareholders Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines approved the revised terms at Air India’s annual general meeting on August 10. The Rs. 15.24 crore portion replaces shares Wilson was entitled to receive under the airline’s long-term incentive plan for FY23 through FY25. Under the original terms, shares would have made up half of that incentive.
Air India’s board approved the cash replacement and the Rs. 2.5 crore one-time reward on May 7, following a recommendation from its nomination and remuneration committee. The company then sought shareholder approval because the changes differed from Wilson’s previously approved pay terms.
The approval establishes the amount Wilson can receive, but it does not confirm payment. Moneycontrol said it could not independently verify whether Air India had disbursed the money. The August resolution covers incentives through FY25 and does not disclose a similar cash replacement or one-time reward for FY26.
How Was Wilson’s Pay Structured?
Wilson became Air India’s CEO and managing director in July 2022, after the Tata Group acquired the airline from the government. His initial annual compensation was set at Rs. 21.5 crore for three years. That package included Rs. 8.5 crore in fixed pay, a potential Rs. 6.5 crore annual bonus, and Rs. 6.5 crore under the long-term incentive plan.
A revised package effective April 2025 allowed annual compensation of up to Rs. 27.75 crore. It comprised Rs. 11.1 crore in fixed pay, about Rs. 8.32 crore in a performance-linked bonus, and a similar amount in long-term incentives. These figures describe his pay arrangements; they do not establish how much he received in any given year.
Air India’s FY26 annual report did not give a separate breakdown of Wilson’s remuneration. It showed that salaries and allowances for all key managerial personnel rose from Rs. 29.9 crore in FY25 to Rs. 39.9 crore in FY26. That group includes Wilson, the chief financial officer, and the company secretary.
What Happened During Wilson’s Final Year?
Air India’s consolidated loss more than doubled to Rs. 22,238 crore in FY26 from Rs. 10,859 crore in FY25. Consolidated revenue fell to Rs. 71,870 crore from Rs. 78,636 crore. Both figures include Air India Express. Passenger numbers also declined, from 43.8 million to 36 million.
In its annual report, the airline said airspace closures, longer flight times, payload restrictions, and geopolitical volatility affected long-haul operations. It also cited U.S. visa and tariff constraints. Following the June 2025 crash of flight AI171 near Ahmedabad, Air India paused some operations for safety checks and reviews.
During Wilson’s tenure, Air India placed orders for 600 aircraft, including a 470-plane order in 2023. The airline announced his resignation on April 7, 2026, and named former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as its next CEO and managing director on August 5. Wilson’s appointment had originally been due to run until July 2027.
