The Job
In aviation, there is never a dull day. Be it the exotic destinations that we fly to or the myriad of challenges that come our way, there is always a lot of action. Hence, it requires one to be driven by passion – for travel, customer experience and operational excellence. The chance to head a company like Vistara which has carved a niche for itself as the airline of choice in India, the region and soon the world, is a matter of great pride and honour for me.
The spirited determination exhibited by the team every day to keep our customers smiling is very gratifying. There are areas that we still need to improve upon, and we will get there, cohesively.
The Weekdays
My usual weekdays at work are packed with meetings with several teams on a variety of topics. While I am familiar with some aspects, there are also opportunities to learn new things. In fact, I look forward to some of these meetings with team members across various divisions, which is an ongoing process, given we have over 4000 of them. It is the staff on the ground that can make a difference—whether it is an internal innovation or offering a distinguished customer experience.
To recharge, I have my occasional coffee breaks and I make it a point to walk around the office through the day—across the multiple floors we occupy. While it helps in clocking the steps on my health app, it is a great way to gauge the sentiment in various parts of the corporate office.
The Weekend
I like to spend time with my wife and kids over the weekend. We love to eat out and try new restaurants and cuisines.
The Toys
I am not a gadget freak per se, and my needs are pretty much satisfied by my Apple phone. I do try out the biggest and most expensive gadgets we have, that is, our A321, B787-9 and A320 aircraft as often as I can.
The Logos
Apple is an aspirational brand, and I do admire its products.
In India, there is no brand as omnipresent as the Tatas – I am an ardent fan of their verticals, from the Taj to Tata Play to Croma, or more recently Big Basket and 1mg. Also, Vistara and Singapore Airlines are, of course, brands that are close to my heart.