SINGAPORE/INDIA: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has stepped in more directly at Air India, placing its staff in key operational roles as the Indian carrier struggles with losses and safety concerns. The move shifts Singapore Airlines from a strategic partner to a more hands-on operator at a time when Air India’s recovery is proving harder than expected.

Executives from Singapore Airlines have taken up roles across flight operations, engineering, and maintenance in recent months. The airline is known for strict standards in these areas, and the change suggests a push to stabilise Air India’s core operations, Business Today cites a Bloomberg report (April 23, 2026).

SIA steps in on operations as Tata Group shifts focus

Ownership dynamics appear to be shaping this arrangement. Tata Group, which holds a 74.9% stake in Air India, is focusing on commercial strategy, human resources, finance, and IT. Operational matters are now leaning more on Singapore Airlines, its minority partner.

This division of labour reflects where the problems lie. Air India has faced mounting operational issues, including reports of aircraft flying without proper certification and compliance lapses flagged by European regulators. A recent crash has also triggered tighter scrutiny and service cutbacks.

Singapore Airlines said it has been working closely with Tata Sons on Air India’s transformation since becoming a key shareholder. The latest shift signals that advisory support alone is no longer enough.

Air India’s turning point after mounting setbacks

The deeper involvement follows a series of setbacks that have complicated Air India’s revival. What began as an ambitious turnaround after Tata reacquired the airline in 2021 is now proving more expensive and complex than expected.

The situation appears serious enough to prompt top-level discussions. SIA Chief Executive Officer Goh Choon Phong and Tata Group Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran met in Mumbai to review funding plans and begin the search for a new chief executive, after Campbell Wilson’s resignation.

Fixing an airline is more than just branding or routes

For Singapore-based observers, this is more than a corporate reshuffle. It shows how deeply Singapore Airlines is willing to commit to a partner when performance slips. The airline has built its reputation on operational discipline, and its direct involvement signals both risk and opportunity.

If the turnaround works, it strengthens SIA’s influence in one of the fastest-growing aviation markets. If it falters, the reputational stakes rise.

The bigger picture is that fixing an airline goes beyond branding or routes, as it comes down to daily execution, such as maintenance checks, crew readiness, and safety discipline. That is where Singapore Airlines now finds itself, on the ground, doing the work.

Airlines’ splitting of strategic and operational roles

Air India’s recovery will depend on steady operational fixes rather than quick wins. The current approach of splitting strategic and operational roles can work if both sides stay aligned and consistent.

From a distance, the lesson is that when problems run deep, oversight isn’t enough. Someone has to step in and take control of the basics. That is what Singapore Airlines is now doing on the ground at Air India.

This article (Singapore Airlines deploys employees to Air India amid operational challenges) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: While the surge in the price of jet fuel has caused air ticket prices to soar, Asian airlines are reporting an increased demand as flyers are now choosing to transit through Asia rather than countries in the Middle East.

The increase in jet fuel prices has resulted from the war in the Middle East, which began on Feb 28 when the United States and Israel started to bomb Iran. Iran has all but closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint through which around 20% of the world’s energy supply passes, leaving many countries scrambling for fuel.

Wary of getting close to conflict areas, of cancelled or affected flights, many travellers are looking to routes considered to be safer. Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, and even Qantas Airways have reported strong ticket sales in March.

Reuters quoted Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau as saying on April 17, “We have … mounted additional flights and capacity to Europe in March and April to cater for an upsurge in market demand as passengers prioritised alternative routings.”

Singapore Airlines saw the sharpest gain among all regions last month in terms of the percentage of seats filled. For its flights to Europe, SIA had 93.5% seats filled, an increase from 79.7% at the same time last year, saying in a statement that “capacity through Middle East air hubs was affected by the ongoing Middle East conflict.”

Both Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines have announced that it added flights to Europe amid the uptick in demand.

Korean Air, meanwhile, saw its operating income increase by 47.3% to 517 billion won (approximately S$446.6 million), due to “increased demand between Europe and Asia due to the Middle East war.” The airlines’ European passenger revenue is now up by nearly one-fifth from March 2025.

Whether travel demand across Asia will be strong will be tested in May and July, during the summer school holidays for India and China, respectively, reported the South China Morning Post. It quoted an industry expert as saying, “Both will be watched closely as barometers of the strength, or otherwise, of regional travel.”

Transit hubs in the Gulf

Transit hubs in the Gulf, such as Dubai International Airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha, and Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, have all been affected by the conflict, which quickly spread to various countries in the region.

However, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways have been restoring capacity in the past weeks, and are now at 60% of pre-February 28 flights. /TISG

Read also: SIA, Scoot yet to impose fuel surcharges even as global airlines move to raise fares

This article (Airlines in Asia see higher demand as travellers reroute from Gulf hubs) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.