Rambabu Ch.: A Proficient Aviation Leader With A Proven Track Record Of Over 3 Decades In The Industry
Rambabu Ch
CEO
He has worked in the Corporate Headquarters, overseeing Sales & Marketing, Distribution channels, Call Center, and Interline activities, as well as IATA BSP functions relating to Airlines in India, and has attended numerous IATA & Tourism conferences abroad.He has undertaken field assignments abroad as Airport Manager at Dubai International Airport, Sales & Marketing, and Station Management assignments as Country Manager in UAE, and later has led the largest hub of Airport operations for Air India Group, at a time when Air India joined Star Alliance, at IGI Airport in New Delhi as Manager Delhi Airport and later served as General Manager (Commercial) Delhi Airport.
Rambabu has also served as General Manager (Commercial) for Air India as Head of Network Planning and Scheduling of flights and has attended slot conferences abroad, representing the Airlines. For two years in a row, he headed Air India's Hajj operations, including assignments in Jeddah and Medina. He led the Air India Stations in the Northern Region as General Manager (Commercial), Northern Region, and took on the additional charge of General Manager (Commercial) for the Eastern Region Stations as well, besides holding Network Planning & Scheduling section, and the Air India Charters section, which operated chartered flights for the Army, BSF, CISF, NSG, and others.
In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights, Rambabu Ch, enlightens us more about his professional traits and AI Airport Services.
Could you give a brief account of your professional background and experiences? What is the motivation that fuels your daily routines?
I graduated from Karnataka Regional Engineering College - KREC then (NITK, Suratkal now),in 1987 as a Mechanical Engineer. Thereafter, I worked for less than a year in a campus placement offered company in Bangalore for about 9 months before enrolling in a two-year full time MBA program at IIM Calcutta called PGDM in 1988 and graduating in 1990. During my MBA at IIM Calcutta, I specialized in Marketing, Finance and Behavioral Sciences. The campus placed 3 jobs, but due to personal reasons to be available closer to home, I landed
up in the year 1990 in a company called Indian Airlines at Chennai Airport. From then onwards, I stepped foot in Indian Airlines and Aviation sector. I have been in Aviation Industry for about 32 years, in all. Experienced the Moments of Truth, in customer experience Management while serving the esteemed passengers at Airports.
How would you define AI Airport Services as an organization and its current position in the market?
AI Airport Services Limited (Formerly known as Air India Air Transport Services Limited) ("AIASL") was established with the intent of providing unified Ground Handling services (Ramp, Passenger, Baggage, Cargo Handling, and Cabin Services) under the brand name 'AI Airport Services.' AI Airport Services Limited is a leading ground-handling service provider in India, providing services at various airports across the nation, for Scheduled Airlines, Non-Scheduled Airlines and Charter Flights. Currently, AIASL provides ground handling services at 82 Online Airports and 25 Offline Airports. Apart from Air India, Air India Express and Alliance Air flights, ground handling is also provided for 51 International scheduled Airlines, 4 Domestic scheduled Airlines, 3 Regional Airlines, 8 Seasonal Charter Airlines and 23 Foreign Airlines that operate as Cargo Charters.
Tell us about your day-to-day activities at AI Airport Services. How does your work in the company contribute to the organization's excellence?
I'm the CEO of AI airport Services Limited and have taken over this role in July 2021. In the Aviation Industry, the roles and responsibilities of ground handling agencies encompass all airline operations beginning from the time an aircraft lands and comes to a bay. So, from the time the door is opened until the time the door is closed and the aircraft is ready for take off, we, as airport ground handling service providers, carry out all these ground handling activities on behalf of the airlines.
Having set the gamut of activities that we do, my role starts every day from the time we start our journey to look into how to give effective and qualitative services to the satisfaction of the client airlines and their customers. For instance, we handle a particular Airlines; as an airport service provider, we provide quality services and a positive experience for that Airlines’ passengers.
Whether they are arriving, transiting or departing customers, a primary importance of any client airline is to send the flights on time so that every passenger values his time as much as we respect theirs.The next most essential factor is the quality of services. Some passengers may arrive at airport with various issues or with several concerns; how successfully and easily you manage
For me, a Mother in the house is the person, I most emulate in my leadership approach
How would you define AI Airport Services as an organization and its current position in the market?
AI Airport Services Limited (Formerly known as Air India Air Transport Services Limited) ("AIASL") was established with the intent of providing unified Ground Handling services (Ramp, Passenger, Baggage, Cargo Handling, and Cabin Services) under the brand name 'AI Airport Services.' AI Airport Services Limited is a leading ground-handling service provider in India, providing services at various airports across the nation, for Scheduled Airlines, Non-Scheduled Airlines and Charter Flights. Currently, AIASL provides ground handling services at 82 Online Airports and 25 Offline Airports. Apart from Air India, Air India Express and Alliance Air flights, ground handling is also provided for 51 International scheduled Airlines, 4 Domestic scheduled Airlines, 3 Regional Airlines, 8 Seasonal Charter Airlines and 23 Foreign Airlines that operate as Cargo Charters.
Tell us about your day-to-day activities at AI Airport Services. How does your work in the company contribute to the organization's excellence?
I'm the CEO of AI airport Services Limited and have taken over this role in July 2021. In the Aviation Industry, the roles and responsibilities of ground handling agencies encompass all airline operations beginning from the time an aircraft lands and comes to a bay. So, from the time the door is opened until the time the door is closed and the aircraft is ready for take off, we, as airport ground handling service providers, carry out all these ground handling activities on behalf of the airlines.
Having set the gamut of activities that we do, my role starts every day from the time we start our journey to look into how to give effective and qualitative services to the satisfaction of the client airlines and their customers. For instance, we handle a particular Airlines; as an airport service provider, we provide quality services and a positive experience for that Airlines’ passengers.
Whether they are arriving, transiting or departing customers, a primary importance of any client airline is to send the flights on time so that every passenger values his time as much as we respect theirs.The next most essential factor is the quality of services. Some passengers may arrive at airport with various issues or with several concerns; how successfully and easily you manage
those issues and assist those passengers is critical. And every day, we assess how well we're performing at the peak of a lot of such concerns encountered by client airlines or as raised by their esteemed passengers. We go through each of them and aim at minimizing all those issues while enhancing the overall customer experience, whether it be for the client airline as our direct client or their actual passengers, with whom we are having a direct interface.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the guidelines you follow as a leader?
Service delivery in Civil Aviation requires a heartfelt appeal to the customers. For me, a mother in the house is the person I most emulate in my leadership approach. She understands how to meet the needs and wants of every member of the House, including her husband,mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter, son, uncles, father, and elderly people, etc. She always attempts to overcome every problem or obstacle at home with love, affection, compassion and empathy. So, first and foremost she is a natural leader, and she applies her inherent qualities with her heart and with an aim to take care of everyone unconditionally, and move around with an efficient outcome. Further, our aviation is primarily a team sport, not a one-man show. Thus, it is crucial to inspire the Teams, repose trust in them, and motivate them to serve with heart unconditionally. I believe that once we realize this, quality services will automatically follow.
Going forward, what are the changes in market behavior that you anticipate, and what are the opportunities that you foresee?
We have an online presence at 82 airports and offline presence at 25 airports in India, implying that if you name the airport, we have a presence there. And as more and more airports are open under the ongoing UDAN scheme of Govt. of India, our footprint will accordingly grow. It is quite challenging to continue in this role as a CEO with full of dynamics in the aviation sector, it provides an enormous opportunity, liberty and flexibility to thrive and excel. So, for the time being, I will continue to explore my opportunities and excel in this organization. With the increased competition that is coming in from the other reputed Ground Handlers entering the fray, the dynamics of customer services are becoming very innovative.
This company is about to be disinvested, and the Indian Government is also in the process on priority. I'm quiet affirmative and upbeat that it will end up in the right hands, which will lead to increased efficiency, skill, economy and qualitative services to the Customers. And I'm keenly looking forward to being a part of this Journey and Transformation, in line with the requirements.
Rambabu Ch., CEO, AI Airport Services
A Technocrat and a Management Graduate who has completely specialized in the Aviation Industry, with a demonstrated history of playing key roles in the industry spanning over 3 decades.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the guidelines you follow as a leader?
Service delivery in Civil Aviation requires a heartfelt appeal to the customers. For me, a mother in the house is the person I most emulate in my leadership approach. She understands how to meet the needs and wants of every member of the House, including her husband,mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter, son, uncles, father, and elderly people, etc. She always attempts to overcome every problem or obstacle at home with love, affection, compassion and empathy. So, first and foremost she is a natural leader, and she applies her inherent qualities with her heart and with an aim to take care of everyone unconditionally, and move around with an efficient outcome. Further, our aviation is primarily a team sport, not a one-man show. Thus, it is crucial to inspire the Teams, repose trust in them, and motivate them to serve with heart unconditionally. I believe that once we realize this, quality services will automatically follow.
Going forward, what are the changes in market behavior that you anticipate, and what are the opportunities that you foresee?
We have an online presence at 82 airports and offline presence at 25 airports in India, implying that if you name the airport, we have a presence there. And as more and more airports are open under the ongoing UDAN scheme of Govt. of India, our footprint will accordingly grow. It is quite challenging to continue in this role as a CEO with full of dynamics in the aviation sector, it provides an enormous opportunity, liberty and flexibility to thrive and excel. So, for the time being, I will continue to explore my opportunities and excel in this organization. With the increased competition that is coming in from the other reputed Ground Handlers entering the fray, the dynamics of customer services are becoming very innovative.
This company is about to be disinvested, and the Indian Government is also in the process on priority. I'm quiet affirmative and upbeat that it will end up in the right hands, which will lead to increased efficiency, skill, economy and qualitative services to the Customers. And I'm keenly looking forward to being a part of this Journey and Transformation, in line with the requirements.
Rambabu Ch., CEO, AI Airport Services
A Technocrat and a Management Graduate who has completely specialized in the Aviation Industry, with a demonstrated history of playing key roles in the industry spanning over 3 decades.