by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 2:20 PM ET, Wed August 5, 2026
Flair Airlines has announced that Chief Financial Officer Sumanth Rao will retire effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Rao joined the airline in August 2024 and has served as a member of Flair's Executive Leadership Team for the past two and a half years.
He will remain with Flair through the end of the year to support the leadership transition while Flair conducts a search for its next chief financial officer.
"On behalf of Flair, our Board of Directors and I, I want to thank Sumanth for his many contributions over the past two and a half years," said Len Corrado, President and CEO of Flair Airlines.
"His disciplined financial stewardship, collaborative leadership and commitment to building a strong Finance organization have helped position Flair for continued success. Sumanth has often reminded us of the famous quote that running an airline is the ultimate team sport, and he has consistently led as the ultimate team player. We appreciate his professional approach in providing us with time to properly transition to his successor and wish him every happiness in retirement."
The retirement announcement comes after Rao was charged in Georgia in connection with a fatal crash that occurred before he joined Flair Airlines.
In December 2024, CTV News reported that Rao was facing involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from a February 2024 crash in the Atlanta area involving an underage driver who had allegedly been drinking at his home.
At the time, Flair said it was aware of the charges and had put measures in place "to ensure operational continuity" as the court proceedings continued.
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