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

In a note to employees on Monday, Singh said his tenure at the budget 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," Singh wrote.

He added that Air India Express had grown "from a sub-scale, niche player to India's third- 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.'

Source: The Economic Times