Airlines

Air India chief V Thulasidas will become chairman and managing director of the enlarged carrier after its merger with Indian Airlines.

His counterpart at Indian Airlines, chairman and managing director Vishwapati Trivedi, has been appointed joint managing director of the merged company.

The appointments will be effective from the day the merger comes into being, which is expected to be in July. The full merger process is likely to take 18 to 24 months.

Thulasidas, who is already chairman and managing director of Air India, will head the enlarged carrier until his retirement on 31 March 2008.

Trivedi will be joint managing director until 31 March 2008.