Courtyard by Marriott Tirupati has announced the appointment of Samata Danday Chand as its Hotel Manager, bringing on board an experienced hospitality leader as the property gears up for its much-anticipated opening. The hotel is yet to open and is expected to welcome guests by April.

With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Samata brings deep operational knowledge and a strong focus on guest satisfaction. Her leadership approach is rooted in service excellence, team empowerment, and building high-performance cultures that deliver consistent results.

She began her career with IHCL – Taj Group of Hotels, where she spent nearly a decade as Executive Housekeeper. During this phase, she successfully led several pre-opening projects and renovation initiatives, gaining strong exposure to large-scale hotel operations. She later moved into Learning & Development roles, contributing to the strengthening of talent development and training frameworks.

Samata’s career progression saw her take on senior operational roles, including Operations Manager and Director of Rooms, where she oversaw end-to-end hotel operations and played a key role in driving efficiency and service standards across departments.

Most recently, she was associated with JW Marriott Bengaluru Golfshire as Executive Assistant Manager – Rooms. In this role, she was instrumental in enhancing luxury guest experiences while maintaining operational excellence in a highly competitive environment.

Outside of her professional role, Samata is a keen traveller, an avid long-distance driver, and a dedicated yoga practitioner. She will be accompanied by her husband Kartik and their children, Akshat and Samaira, as she takes on this new assignment.

Her appointment comes at a crucial phase for Courtyard by Marriott Tirupati, as the hotel prepares for its opening and sets the foundation for strong operational performance under experienced leadership.

Spirit Airlines has earned a top-three ranking among North America’s largest airlines for on-time performance, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. The achievement reflects a significant improvement in operational reliability, with the airline moving up from its previous position and outperforming several major and legacy carriers.

Based on Cirium’s analysis, Spirit Airlines successfully operated a strong percentage of its flights on time over the year. Cirium defines an on-time flight as one that arrives within 15 minutes of its scheduled gate arrival. The ranking places Spirit among the most reliable airlines in the region, despite operating a high-utilisation network.

Commenting on the achievement, John Bendoraitis, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Spirit Airlines, said the airline is entering the new year with a strong focus on delivering a reliable and elevated guest experience. He credited the performance to the dedication of Spirit’s team members and their continued commitment to taking care of guests.

Mike Malik, Chief Marketing Officer at Cirium, noted that achieving a top-three position is a meaningful operational milestone, particularly for an airline with a tightly coordinated and high-frequency network. He added that Spirit’s results reflect improved schedule integrity, efficient turn execution, and disciplined network management measured over a full year.

Alongside its operational success, Spirit Airlines has also recorded its highest-ever net promoter score, a key indicator of guest satisfaction. The airline reported a significant increase in the score compared to the previous year, driven by the introduction of more comfortable seating options and enhanced premium offerings.

Spirit’s growing range of premium experiences allows travellers to enjoy added comfort and benefits at a more affordable price compared to traditional legacy carriers. The airline’s Spirit First offering includes the Big Front Seat, complimentary snacks and beverages, priority check-in and boarding, reserved overhead bin space, fast Wi-Fi streaming access, and flexible ticket options with no change or cancellation fees.

In addition, Spirit’s Premium Economy option provides extra legroom or a blocked middle seat, along with priority boarding, reserved overhead bin space, one carry-on bag, and flexible booking benefits. These enhancements reflect Spirit Airlines’ continued focus on combining reliability, affordability, and improved guest experience.

Grand Hyatt Mumbai has announced the appointment of Namrata Sharma as Area Director of Human Resources. In her new role, Sharma will oversee the people and culture strategy for Grand Hyatt Mumbai and designated Hyatt hotels across the region, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to nurturing talent, leadership excellence, and a people-first workplace culture.

Sharma brings with her over 20 years of extensive experience across luxury hospitality and corporate organizations, with a strong focus on people strategy, leadership development, organizational culture, and HR excellence. Her professional journey spans leading hospitality brands including The Leela, Marriott, Westin, Taj Hotels, and Green Park Hotels & Resorts, along with early-career experience in the corporate sector with 24/7 Customer and Wipro.

Throughout her career in hospitality, Sharma has played a pivotal role in building high-performing teams, strengthening talent pipelines, and fostering inclusive and people-centric work environments. Her expertise in aligning business goals with human capital strategies has consistently contributed to organisational growth and service excellence.

As Area Director of Human Resources, Sharma will be responsible for talent acquisition and development, succession planning, employee engagement, performance management, and strengthening HR governance frameworks. She will also champion Hyatt’s values and service culture, ensuring consistent people practices and meaningful employee experiences across all teams.

Reflecting on her appointment, Sharma said she strongly believes that people are at the heart of every great organisation. She emphasised that leading with integrity, empathy, and purpose enables teams to thrive, innovate, and deliver exceptional guest experiences. She added that she looks forward to building on Grand Hyatt Mumbai’s legacy of excellence, world-class hospitality, and innovation, while nurturing a culture that continues to set benchmarks for guest experiences in the city and beyond.

With this appointment, Grand Hyatt Mumbai further strengthens its leadership team, reinforcing its focus on people development as a key driver of service excellence and long-term success.