Turkey’s Ilker Ayci declines Air India CEO role

A fortnight after Tata Sons announced his appointment, former Turkish Airlines chairman Ilker Ayci on Tuesday said he has declined the offer to be the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India as it was not “feasible or honourable” to take up the position when “some sections of Indian media” was attempting to picturise it in “undesirable colours”.

Ayci’s statement comes days after RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch urging the Narendra Modi government not to give security clearance to his appointment and media reporting that the Tata Son’s move could run into trouble due to his links with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an ally of Pakistan.