SpiceJet chief Ajay Singh elected to IATA board

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet's Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh was Sunday elected to the board of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), less than three months after the airline joined the global grouping.

Founder and former chairman of the now grounded Jet Airways Naresh Goyal, who was associated with the IATA for a long time, was a member on the previous board.

The new board of the global airlines' grouping would be chaired by Lufthansa Group Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr, who took charge after the conclusion of the IATA annual general meeting here Sunday.

Spohr will be the Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors (BoG) for a one-year term.

In a release, SpiceJet said Singh has been appointed for a three-year term to the IATA board.

He would participate in providing policy directives and guidance to IATA industry committees and to their subsidiary bodies.

"I look forward to working closely with my colleagues on the IATA Board of Governors to drive the sustainability agenda whilst facilitating further growth and development of the aviation industry across the globe," Singh said.

In March, SpiceJet became the first Indian low cost carrier to take membership of the IATA, a grouping of around 290 airlines.

Other board members include Air Canada President and CEO Calin Rovinescu, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce and Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker.

Jet Airways, which served the skies for more than 25 years, was forced to temporarily suspend operations in the wake of cash crunch.