One of India’s fastest growing airlines- Akasa Air has elevated its Co-Founder and Chief Marketing and Experience Officer- Belson Coutinho to the position of Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer.
Effective January 6, 2025, he will be responsible for leading Akasa Air’s crucial operational functions as the airline continues its path to becoming one of the top 30 airlines in the world by the turn of this decade.
In his new role, he will also be responsible for Inflight Services, Airport Services, Maintenance & Engineering, Flight Operations, IOCC, Operational Excellence while also spearheading Akasa Air Learning Academy.
He has been a part of Akasa Air’s executive committee since the airline’s inception in 2022 and was instrumental in shaping the brand’s vision, driving category-redefining customer-centric initiatives, and creating a strong foundation for the airline’s unprecedented growth in his prior role at the airlines.
With over two decades of experience in the aviation industry, Coutinho has delivered multiple industry-first initiatives in Indian aviation, underpinned by his strong operational, strategic and leadership skills.
That said, prior to joining Akasa Air in August 2021, he served the role of Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Customer Experience at VFS Global from July 2019 to August 2021.
Before this, he was associated with Jet Airways for about two-and-a-half decades. He joined the airlines major in January 1995 in the Loyalty Marketing Team and was elevated to the role of Marketing Manager in August 1999, Head of e-commerce and Distribution in August 2006, Senior GM- e-commerce and Innovations in April 2007, VP- e-commerce and Innovations in November 2011, VP- Marketing, e-commerce and Innovations in April 2014 and finally as SVP- e-commerce and Innovations, Loyalty and Voice of Guest in October 2017.
Commenting on the elevation, Vinay Dube, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Akasa Air, said, “We are delighted to have Belson step into the role of Akasa Air’s Chief Operating Officer. Belson’s multifaceted role over the years had him successfully collaborate with cross-functional teams across airline operations, developing a good understanding of the functioning of operational departments. His passion for brand building, service excellence, training, technology, processes, employee centricity and sharp focus on cost leadership equips him to bring tremendous value to his new role as our COO. We are confident that under his leadership, we will continue to enhance our operational efficiency, deliver on our values of service excellence, and make significant strides toward achieving our vision of becoming a world-class airline.”
