Aloke Singh to step down as Air India Express MD after five-year tenure

Air India Express MD Aloke Singh will exit on 19 March after steering the airline through privatisation, a merger with AirAsia India, a four-fold fleet expansion and a major brand overhaul

Aloke Singh, managing director of Air India Express, will step down in March after a five-year tenure during which the airline underwent major changes including privatisation, a merger with AirAsia India, fleet expansion and a brand overhaul under the Tata Group.

 

In a note to employees on Monday, Singh said his tenure at the airline would conclude on 19 March and thanked staff for their contribution during a period of significant operational and organisational change.

 

“Together, we have taken the airline through a period of defining transformation — navigating an intricate merger, a complex integration, creating a new brand, growing fleet four-fold,” he wrote.

 

He added that the airline had grown “from a sub-scale, niche player to India’s 3rd largest narrow-body operator,” with a fleet of over 100 aircraft, operations across India and 14 international destinations, and a workforce of about 8,300 employees.

 

Singh also said Capt Hamish Maxwell would take over as the airline’s new “accountable manager”.

 

An accountable manager in an airline is the senior executive designated under aviation regulations as having overall responsibility for ensuring the company complies with safety, operational and regulatory requirements.

 

Singh was appointed chief executive of the then government-owned Air India Express on 9 November 2020, when the aviation sector was dealing with the operational and financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. He oversaw planning related to the airline’s operations during the period of travel restrictions and demand volatility.

 

In January 2022, Air India and Air India Express were acquired by the Tata Group from the government. Singh was involved in managing the operational transition of Air India Express from public to private ownership.

 

During his tenure, the airline undertook a brand refresh in October 2023 as part of the Tata Group’s broader plan to restructure its airline businesses. A key milestone came in October 2024 when Air India Express legally merged with AirAsia India, creating a single low-cost carrier under the Air India Express brand.

 

The airline’s fleet increased from 26 aircraft in 2020 to 105 aircraft during Singh’s tenure. The expanded fleet allowed the airline to increase capacity and strengthen operations on international routes, particularly between India and Gulf destinations.

 

The India–Gulf corridor is one of the largest international markets for Indian carriers, connecting several Indian cities with destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Muscat.

 

Singh’s tenure coincided with the Tata Group’s broader restructuring of its aviation business, which involved consolidating four airlines — Air India, Vistara, AirAsia India and Air India Express — into two entities: a full-service carrier under Air India and a low-cost carrier under Air India Express.