Who is Aloke Singh? Air India Express MD to step down in March after 5-year tenure

Aloke Singh, the managing director of Air India Express, the low-cost arm of Air India, will step down from his role on 19 March 2026, after completing five years at the helm, according to an internal memo reviewed by Reuters on Monday.

Aloke Singh noted in the memo that the domestic carrier has grown to become the country's third-largest narrow-body operator, with more than 100 aircraft and about 8,300 employees.

Though he did not name a successor, he said Captain Hamish Maxwell will take over as the airline's accountable manager. Maxwell, who was earlier serving as an adviser to the MD, will assume the regulatory role responsible for overseeing safety compliance and ensuring that the carrier meets all operational standards.

From previous job roles to education — all about Aloke Singh

Singh joined Air India Express in 2020, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic upended global aviation. Later, he led the low-cost carrier through its integration with the erstwhile AirAsia India business after the Tata Group took over Air India.

An MBA graduate from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Singh also completed a fellowship at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

He has held senior leadership roles across aviation bodies and airlines over the years. Before joining Air India Express, he served as the MD of AirAsia India, and has also worked with the Centre for Aviation and Oman Air, adding to his wide-ranging industry experience.

According to his Linkedin profile, Singh has three decades of experience in the travel and air transportation domain.

In the memo, he spoke about the company's growth over the year, crediting it to the employees. "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 - propelling the airline from a sub-scale, niche player to India's 3rd largest narrow-body operator...," Singh told employees.

Air India Express to boost capacity

The low-budget carrier is expected to report an operating profit in the second half of the current financial year, marking its its first since being acquired by Tata Group in 2022. The anticipated turnaround comes amid a steady increase in capacity and a higher market share, according to the news agency.

Air India Express, which operates more than 100 Boeing and Airbus narrow-body jets, is reportedly targeting a doubling of its capacity in the next four to five years, with expansion plans for a fleet of more than 200 aircraft.

Meanwhile, Air India, jointly owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has been struggling to rebuild its global reputation and restore its international network. The airline is also working to replace its ageing fleet, although supply chain delays have slowed down the fleet upgrade.