Former Turkish Airlines chairman Ilker Ayci declined the task, citing political issues in a statement. His decision presents a new hurdle to Air India’s new owner: finding a new CEO for the freshly privatised airline.
Tata Sons Ltd is facing a new problem at Air India Ltd, with the airline’s newly nominated CEO declining the position before ever accepting it.
Former Turkish Airlines chairman Ilker Ayci declined the task, citing political issues in a statement. His decision presents a new hurdle to Air India’s new owner: finding a new CEO for the freshly privatised airline.
Ayci’s appointment, announced shortly after Tata Sons gained control of Air India in January, prompted hopes of a quick turnaround for the airline, which is battling with an ageing aircraft fleet, increasing debt, and many legacy difficulties emanating from its employees’ unions.
Ayci, however, declined to take up the position on Tuesday, only a fortnight after being appointed. His decision may jeopardise Tata’s plans to turn around Air India’s fortunes and assist the firm reclaim market share it has lost to competitors.
Due to his previous role as Turkey’s flag carrier CEO, Ilker Ayci’s appointment was met with criticism from some political quarters due to his supposed associations with shady companies. A right-wing party linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party has requested the government to oppose Ayci’s nomination, citing his prior political ties in Turkey.
The economic branch of the BJP’s ideology, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), sought background checks for Ayci before he took over at Air India, citing the fact that Ayci served as an adviser to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan while he was mayor of Istanbul in the mid-1990s.
Erdogan, a close Pakistan friend, had previously highlighted the topic of Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations, prompting significant opposition from India.
“I have come to the conclusion that it would not be feasible or an honourable decision to accept the position in the shadow of such a narrative,” Ilker Ayci wrote in his statement.
Tata Sons has been silent about the matter.
Ayci, who managed Turkish Airlines for more than six years beginning in 2015, was set to take over as CEO of Air India on April 1. The appointment, however, was subject to regulatory clearance.
His appointment, announced on February 14 by Tata Sons, brought a glimmer of optimism to Air India’s staff and tens of thousands of passengers.
Ayci stated at the time that he wanted to make Air India “one of the top airlines in the world.”
Ayci would have faced the huge job of resurrecting a legacy-laden, cash-strapped, and ageing airline if he accepted the post.
In January, Tata purchased India’s flag carrier for $2.4 billion, putting an end to decades of government attempts to privatise the airline in order to restrict the flow of public funds to run it.
Losing Ilker Ayci might be a setback for both the government and the Tata group’s shared goal of getting Air India back in shape so that it can compete with the glitz of other private carriers and maintain its market share. This is especially true given Ayci’s role in turning around Turkish Airlines’ woes.
Due to a global lockdown, Turkish Airlines, like many other airlines, suffered in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, with air traffic revenues disappearing.
Turkish Airlines was able to swiftly recover because of Ilker Ayci’s efforts to cut expenses and capitalise on the booming air freight market.
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