Air India's first COO to join office on June 1

Capt Gustav Baldauf, the first Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Air India who was appointed last month, will join office from June 1.

"The newly-appointed professional COO will join on June 1," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said here.

Replying to questions, Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav said the terms of his contract and salary package would be finalised by this month-end.

"He has made some proposals, we have also given him some proposals. We will finalise everything by the month-end," Jadhav told PTI.

Baldauf, who was working as executive vice-president (flight operations) in Austrian Airlines, has worked as vice-president (operations) in Jet Airways and Air Canada earlier.

He would be the first expatriate in the management team of the country's flag carrier.

Baldauf, whose appointment was approved by the Air India Board last month, would report to Jadhav and both would be responsible for all steps to turn around the ailing national carrier. He was selected from a list of over 100 applicants.

The airline had last month appointed Mahindra and Mahindra Vice Chairman Anand Mahindra, Ambuja Realty Group Chairman Harsh Neotia, Ficci Secretary General Amit Mitra and former Indian Air Force chief Fali H Major as independent directors to advise on the turnaround of the company.