LONDON, UK, 2021-Jul-06 — /Travel PR News/ — UK-based start-up airline Hans Airways reveals the initial board line-up to spearhead its drive to gaining its Air Operator Certificate later this year. The carrier plans to begin direct non-stop flights from the UK to India in Autumn 2021.
Now that the process for obtaining an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is nearing completion, Hans Airways announces its board of airline industry and business veterans which will deliver that objective. With a combined airline management experience of over 130 years, the initial four Board Members joining CEO and founder Satnam Saini have the right blend of skills to lead the new UK long-haul airline through its critical pre- and initial post-launch phases.
Ruchir Verma
Board Advisor and Non-Executive Chairman
Ruchir Verma is an experienced professional who brings together strategy, finance and execution from a number of industries. With a 25-year career spanning Consulting, IT, operations, finance and investments, Ruchir has worked for big names such as RBS Investment Banking, Clifford Chance, Thomson Reuters and Zurich Insurance. He is also an entrepreneur having run his own London-based business, as well as helping early-stage companies with start-up and growth strategies.
Dr Barry Humphreys
Non-Executive Director
Barry Humphreys is a long-serving aviation executive, boasting a career spanning some five decades. Early in his career Barry worked for the UK CAA in a number of functions, including as Head of Air Services Policy. In 1995, he joined Virgin Atlantic Airways as Director of External Affairs and Route Development, retiring in 2009. He has been a Non-Executive Director of NATS, the UK ANSP, as well as Non-Executive Chairman of the British Air Transport Association (now Airlines UK). Barry continues to undertake consultancy and advisory work and lectures and writes extensively on the subjects of aviation strategy and regulation.
Jane Middleton
Non-Executive Director
Jane Middleton is a skilled Finance Director with vast international experience and an ability to lead cross-border teams. She has a successful track record in providing strong, strategic leadership within the Aerospace/Defence sector, including turnaround management and acquisitions. Presently, Jane is Managing Director of independent travel firm Authentic Travel Company as well as being Chairman of the trade body organisation Airline UK for the last six years.
Dr Peter Malanik
Non-Executive Director
Dr Peter Malanik has solid turnaround and restructuring expertise including privatisation and change of control experience at management and board level. In addition, he has 27 years of airline management experience to call upon, including being the ex-CEO of Austrian Airlines. Currently, Peter is the President of the Austrian Aviation Association, Chairman of the Supervisory Board Flughafen Klagenfurt, as well as being a lecturer on airline management at both Cranfield and Vienna universities.
Talking about these appointments, Satnam Saini, CEO of Hans Airways said:
“Benefitting from experience is everything when starting up a long-haul airline, so our policy from day one has been to put together a Board with a significant amount of industry knowhow to help us steer the right path to a successful launch later this year. We look forward to making further announcements soon about the structure of our senior management team, again with pertinent airline experience being a cornerstone of our recruitment policy.”