Akasa Air co-founder Neelu Khatri steps down after shaping airline’s take-off

NEW DELHI: Neelu Khatri, co-founder and senior vice-president at Akasa Air, is stepping down after more than five years at the airline, bringing to a close a defining chapter in the life of India’s youngest carrier.

Khatri joined Akasa at inception in November 2020 and played a pivotal role in turning the airline from concept to commercial reality. Her tenure spanned the launch phase, network build-out and operational stabilisation, guiding teams through turbulence in one of the world’s most competitive aviation markets.

In a farewell message, Khatri credited Akasa’s rise to its people-“Akasians”-for building the airline from the ground up with discipline, empathy and resolve. She also thanked customers for their trust, saying their feedback helped refine the product as the airline committed to improving every day.

Akasa, which still has 196 aircraft to be inducted under its existing order book, is entering what Khatri described as a sturdy new phase of growth. “Akasa as a brand has truly arrived,” she said as she signed off with pride and gratitude.

The departure was marked by an emotional gesture from colleagues, who presented her with a keepsake fashioned from an aircraft engine blade removed after a bird strike—a symbol of shared battles and hard-earned milestones.

Before Akasa, Khatri served as president of Honeywell Aerospace India, leading strategy and business growth. Earlier roles include executive director positions at Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering, head of defence and security advisory services at KPMG, and a 16-year career in the Indian Air Force, where she rose to the rank of wing commander.

As Akasa readies its next leg of expansion, Khatri leaves behind a culture of execution, accountability and belief—proof that the airline’s formative years were built not just on aircraft and routes, but on people and purpose.