 "A GoAir aircraft taxis on the tarmac at Bengaluru International Airport in Bangalore")
Vrieswijk, who has taken charge of the new position from June 4, will report to the chairman, managing director and the airline's board, GoAir said in a release today.Budget carrier GoAir has appointed former EasyJet executive Cornelis (Cor) Vrieswijk as its new chief executive officer, four months after Wolfgang Prock-Schauer quit the same position to join the rival IndiGo.
A Dutch national who has worked with Thomas Cook group, Transavia Airlines, British low-cost carrier EasyJet, among others, in various roles, Vrieswijk is the third CEO of the Wadia group-promoted airline in as many years, which remains a domestic players even after 12 years of commencement of operations.
"Cor will work with the board and leadership team to expand and implement a range of strategic initiatives to lead the airline into its next phase of growth. I am confident that Cor will help scale GoAir further and establish it as a most profitable low cost carrier in the highly competitive Indian market," said Jeh Wadia, managing director, GoAir.
The airline had earlier in February appointed US national Jyri Strandman as its chief operating officer.
The city-based airline currently flies to 23 cities, with a fleet of 35 Airbus A320 planes. It commanded nearly 9 per cent market share in May of the total 11.5 million domestic air passenger traffic.
Vrieswijk joins GoAir, which has deferred its international operations time and again, at a time when rival carrier IndiGo is preparing for international long-haul flights likely from next year.
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"He has significant expertise in international business development, operational streamlining, aircraft engineering and maintenance and process automation," GoAir said in the release, indicating the task ahead for the incumbent.
Prock-Schauer, who was brought at the helm in June 2015 after the then CEO Giorgio De Roni quit the carrier on "health grounds", parted ways with GoAir last December, reportedly due to "differences" with the management on several issues.
