In a letter to the Air India management, Ayci said he had been "carefully" following news in some sections of Indian media "attempting to color my appointment with undesirable color."
"I have come to the conclusion that it would not be feasible or an honorable decision to accept the position in the shadow of such narrative," the Turkish national wrote in a statement to the media.
A Tata spokesperson confirmed that Ayci had declined the offer but refused to share more details with EFE.
Unhappy with the media reports opposing his appointment, the former Turkish Airlines chief said that as a business leader, he always "prioritized professional credo and more importantly, the happiness and well-being of my family above all else."
The
He was expected to take over Air India on Apr.1.
Born in 1971 in
He previously served as executive director at several insurance companies until he was appointed head of the
He was an adviser in 1994 to Erdogan when the Turkish president was mayor of
The appointment of a foreign national as head of an airline in
Indian media reports last week claimed that Indian regulators and security agencies were conducting thorough scrutiny on Ayci's background over his Turkish links.
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