GoAir names Wolfgang Prock-Shauer as new CEO

New Delhi, May 31: Budget carrier GoAir on Sunday named Austrian national and former Jet Airways official Wolfgang Prock-Shauer as its new chief executive officer, saying his 34 years of experience in the industry will add immense value to the airline's business.

The airline also said that its operating revenue has surged by 21 per cent in the previous fiscal on the back of a 13.2 per cent rise in the passengers growth during the period. [GoAir in turbulent phase: After CEO, 35 pilots resign]

Announcing Prock-Shauer's appointment, GoAir managing director Jeh Wadia said in statement, "We are delighted to have Wolfgang Prock-Schauer on board.

With his rich experience of 34 years in the industry, we are confident Wolfgang will add immense value to our business."

Prock-Shauer would take the place of Giorgio De Roni, who quit GoAir as its chief executive on March 31 due to health reasons after serving the carrier for nearly four years.

His appointment as the new CEO is effective from June 15, the airline said.

This is the second time in last 12 years when Prock- Shauer will be serving an Indian carrier as earlier he worked with another Mumbai-based airline, Jet Airways, as its chief executive, a position which he held till October 15, 2009.

The Wadia Group-owned no-frills airline currently operates over 2,000 weekly flights across 21 domestic destinations with a fleet of 19 Airbus A320 planes.

"We are also pleased to inform that the company has made significant increase in the operating revenue by 21 per cent with EBITDA (earning before interests, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) reporting a substantial improvement of 76 per cent over FY-14," Wadia said.

He said that the airline also clocked a substantial 13.2 per cent growth in the number of passengers flown in the financial year ended March 31, 2015 over the year-ago period.

Besides, gaining a nearly one per cent market share at 9.3 per cent in FY15 as against 8.5 per cent recorded in the fiscal 2013-14, the seat factor also surged by almost five per cent to 79.2 per cent in FY 15 as compared to 74.3 per cent in FY 14, he said.

PTI