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'Not Feasible, Honourable Decision To Accept Position': Ilker Ayci Turns Down Air India CEO Role
Writer: Tashafi Nazir
For most people, journalism sounds hectic and chaotic. For her, it's a passion she has been chasing for years. With an extensive media background, Tashafi believes in putting efforts on presenting a simple incident in the most interesting way.
India, 1 March 2022 10:45 AM GMT
Editor : Snehadri Sarkar |
While he is a massive sports fanatic, his interest also lies in mainstream news and nitpicking trending and less talked about everyday issues.
Creatives : Tashafi Nazir
For most people, journalism sounds hectic and chaotic. For her, it's a passion she has been chasing for years. With an extensive media background, Tashafi believes in putting efforts on presenting a simple incident in the most interesting way.
On February 14, Tata had announced Ayci's appointment as CEO of previously government-run Air India after taking over the airline in January in a 2.4 billion dollar equity and debt deal.
Turkish Airlines Chairman Ilker Ayci on Tuesday (March 1) said that he would not take the role of chief executive of Tata Group's Air India. The announcement comes days after his appointment led to opposition in India over his past political links.
"As a business leader who has always prioritised professional credo. I have come to the conclusion that it would not be a feasible or an honourable decision to accept the position in the shadow of such narrative," Ayci said in a press statement.
On February 14, Tata had announced Ayci's appointment as CEO of previously government-run Air India after taking over the airline in January in a 2.4 billion dollar equity and debt deal, NDTV reported.
Criticism From RSS
However, last week, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), called on the government to block Ayci's appointment, citing his previous political connections in Turkey, which has affected relations with New Delhi.
Ayci, a former chairman of Turkish Airlines, was an adviser to Tayyip Erdogan in 1994 when the Turkish president was Istanbul's mayor.
In a statement, Ayci said that in a recent meeting with Tata Chairman N Chandrasekaran, he refused to take the post after reading about attempts to colour his appointment with undesirable colours in some sections of the Indian media.
Without sharing further details, a spokesperson for India's Tata confirmed the development.
The move comes as a setback for Tata in India, which will need to restart the search for a CEO to turn around the loss-making carrier. While the airline has profitable landing slots, any new chief faces an arduous task to upgrade Air India's ageing fleet and turn around its financials and service levels.
The appointment of a foreign national as CEO of an Indian airline requires government clearance before proceeding.
India might be conducting more strict than usual checks in the case of Ayci and Air India, as security agencies have raised concerns about his links in Turkey.
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