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Air India has decided to terminate its aircraft maintenance partnership with Turkish Technic, a global aviation services provider, amid rising geopolitical tensions linked to Türkiye’s support for Pakistan during recent military operations.
The airline is now turning to alternative, more expensive service providers for its long-haul Boeing 777 fleet, according to the CEO Campbell Wilson.
Wilson confirmed the decision on Sunday, telling NDTV, “If there is a concern about continuing to do business in this fashion, then we’ll find alternatives.” He noted that the move reflects sensitivity to public sentiment in the current political context.
The announcement follows a series of government actions targeting Türkiye-affiliated aviation firms. Days earlier, India’s Civil Aviation Ministry restricted IndiGo’s operation of two Turkish Airlines aircraft leased on a wet-lease basis to a maximum of three months.
In a separate move, Indian authorities revoked the security clearance of Celebi, a Turkish-linked ground handling company operating in nine airports across the country.
These measures are part of New Delhi’s response to Ankara’s alignment with Islamabad during the conflict that occurred earlier in May.
As the Turkish Technic deal winds down, Air India is diverting its Boeing 777 maintenance needs to other providers, including Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL)—a government-owned enterprise—as well as facilities in Abu Dhabi and Singapore.
“There is a significant additional cost,” Wilson acknowledged. “And ultimately, it does get passed on to the consumer, whether it's because there are fewer seats available to be offered and so the remaining seats have higher demand, or we just pass through the actual cost increase that we're incurring.”
Wilson added that some aircraft currently under maintenance will remain with Turkish Technic until their servicing is completed, while others scheduled for maintenance will be reassigned to different providers.
Turkish Technic, an aircraft maintenance subsidiary of Turkish Airlines, is one of the largest providers in the region.
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