Breaking Barriers, Leading the Skies
Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager
Breaking Barriers, Leading the Skies
Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager,
Leadership in aviation often means navigating turbulence—operational, regulatory, or market-driven. Reena Abdul Rahiman, COO and Accountable Manager at Alhind Air Pvt Ltd, has built her career by turning those challenges into opportunities. With global experience across Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Sudan, Sri Lanka, and India, she has refined a leadership style that blends precision, resilience, and adaptability. Her journey carries historic significance. As India’s first female commercial accountable manager, Reena has broken a ceiling few dared to touch. Yet she is quick to dismiss labels—she does not lead as a “woman” in aviation but as a professional committed to competence, accountability, and vision. Her mission is not to be celebrated as the first but to ensure many more follow. At Alhind Air, she is driving initiatives that redefine operational strength—developing self-reliant digital systems, transitioning to paperless compliance, and embedding AI into customer engagement. Beyond technology, her focus on regional connectivity under UDAN reflects a deeper purpose: making aviation inclusive, accessible, and future-ready. When speaking with TradeFlock, Reena shares more details about her work.
How did working across different airlines and geographies shape your leadership?
Every geography I worked in has left a distinct imprint on my leadership journey. Qatar taught me the value of precision and service excellence in a fiercely competitive hub. The UAE highlighted the importance of scale and innovation—how to manage rapid growth while leveraging technology to stay ahead. In Oman, leadership was about harmonising modernisation with cultural traditions. Sudan tested my resilience and resourcefulness, as limited infrastructure demanded creative problem-solving. Sri Lanka became a lesson in transformation, where I steered the shift from a cargo- and charterdriven model to a full-fledged commercial airline, integrating technology for future readiness. In India, adaptability defines leadership— navigating infrastructure gaps, regulatory complexities, and diverse customer needs in one of the fastest-growing markets. Collectively, these experiences shaped me into a leader who values agility, resilience, and above all, peoplefirst leadership, ensuring both teams and passengers remain central to every decision.
What’s the biggest hurdle you’ve faced in aviation, and how did you navigate it?
Navigating aviation’s volatility—from the pandemic to political instability and operational disruptions—has been my toughest challenge. At one point, grounding risks threatened both continuity and morale. I overcame it through transparency with teams, swift yet data-driven decisions, and keeping safety and people at the core. Aviation will always face turbulence, but true leadership means guiding teams through it with clarity, courage, and resilience.
Which Alhind Air project excites you most, and are there plans to go global?
It’s difficult to single out one project, because every initiative we are driving at Alhind Air excites me. On the technology front, we have launched our in-house Operations Control System, which gives us greater autonomy and faster decision-making. We are also developing our own Passenger Reservation System, placing us among the few airlines in the region with a fully self-reliant digital backbone. In addition, our move to paperless documentation enhances compliance, efficiency, and sustainability, while our introduction of Lufthansa charts to India raises operational and training standards.Equally transformative is our customer journey shift—moving away from traditional call centres to AI-driven engagement. This change will enable faster, smarter, and more personalised service, while ensuring scalability as we grow. At the same time, our role in expanding regional connectivity under the UDAN initiative is especially meaningful. It’s not just about adding routes; it’s about connecting underserved cities, empowering communities, and contributing to India’s inclusive aviation growth. Each of these efforts reflects our philosophy: building strong in-house capabilities, embracing AI and digital transformation, and creating a more inclusive, future-ready aviation ecosystem. Looking ahead, I absolutely envision Alhind Air stepping beyond regional to global operations. Our roadmap is clear—first consolidate domestic and regional foundations, strengthen our technologydriven edge, and then expand globally. Positioned as a natural hub, India offers limitless potential, provided growth is sustainable and strategic.
What does being India’s first commercial airline accountable manager mean to you and women in aviation?
I have never subscribed to the labels of ‘male leader’ or ‘female leader’. For me, leadership has no gender—it is defined by competence, accountability, and vision. At the same time, I recognise the symbolic weight of this milestone. If my journey helps dismantle perceptions and inspires more women to view aviation leadership as a natural career path, then it carries true value. It is not about being the first but about ensuring I am not the last. I lead simply as an accountable professional.
How do you plan to bridge India’s aviation operational gaps?
India’s aviation sector is thriving, but key gaps remain in regional connectivity, infrastructure, and workforce skills. At Alhind Air, we are addressing these by strengthening regional networks to expand access beyond metros, investing in continuous staff training and upskilling, and leveraging digital solutions to boost efficiency and reliability. By aligning people, processes, and technology, our goal is to build an aviation ecosystem that is inclusive, sustainable, and beneficial to both Tier 1 and emerging Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
"I have never subscribed to the labels of ‘male leader’ or ‘female leader’. For me, leadership has no gender —it is defined by competence, accountability, and vision. "
Featured Magazine -
