NEW DELHI, India: Air India's board has begun looking for a new chief executive, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, signalling a potential leadership change as the airline grapples with heightened regulatory scrutiny following a fatal crash last year.

The move comes as authorities flagged a series of safety lapses at the carrier after a June accident killed 260 people, the world's deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. Regulators cited issues ranging from flying aircraft without emergency equipment checks to delays in replacing engine parts, maintenance record forgery, and shortcomings in managing crew fatigue.

Campbell Wilson took over as chief executive and managing director in July 2022, shortly after the airline was privatised. A New Zealand-born executive, Wilson spent 26 years at Singapore Airlines, holding senior roles across the mainline carrier and its wholly owned low-cost arm Scoot.

Although Wilson's term is due to run until mid-2027, he could be replaced before then, according to India's Economic Times, which first reported the search for a successor on Monday.

Air India is chaired by N. Chandrasekaran, who is also the chairman of its majority owner, the Tata Group. Singapore Airlines holds a 25 percent stake in Air India.

Tata Group, Singapore Airlines, Air India, and Wilson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

One person familiar with the matter said Tata was unhappy with Wilson's performance last year, after he had effectively been given wide latitude to fix the airline's long-standing problems following its purchase from the Indian government. Both sources declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

The Economic Times reported that Chandrasekaran has held talks with the chief executives of at least two leading international airlines based in the United Kingdom and the United States as potential successors, citing officials familiar with the matter. The newspaper also said similar leadership changes could be on the cards at Air India Express, the group's low-cost carrier.

Air India was India's state-owned flag carrier for decades before being sold to the Tata Group in 2022 as part of a government effort to revive the loss-making airline. Since then, the conglomerate has invested heavily to modernise the fleet and expand routes.

However, the turnaround has been hampered by delays in aircraft deliveries and refurbishments, as well as operational challenges and mounting safety concerns that have put the airline under sustained regulatory and public scrutiny.