SANJOSE — San Jose has appointed a veteran of the airport business and the airline industry as the city’s new director of aviation at a time when the city’s air travel hub is battling to climb back to its pre-coronavirus altitude.
Mukesh “Mookie” Patel, who is a licensed private pilot, has been appointed as San Jose’s director of aviation, city officials announced Tuesday.
“I am committed to fostering strong partnerships with airlines and contributing to the sustained success of the Airport for the benefit of the entire community,” Patel said.
Patel is slated to take over his new role on March 18. City officials conducted a nationwide recruitment before they picked Patel to head the airport.
“With over 30 years of experience, I believe Mookie is the right person to usher in a new era of innovation and reliability for our award-winning airport,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said.
Patel has held senior posts at international airports in Kansas City; Denver; San Antonio, Texas; and Austin Texas. He also held an executive position with Alaska Airlines.
“Mookie has an extensive executive background with three decades of experience and is positioned well to lead the airport in the areas of rebuilding passenger and route traffic, navigating complex airport and airline partnerships, expertly managing resources and new revenues to meet our city’s aviation goals,” San Jose City Manager Jennifer Maguire said.
San Jose’s aviation director leads a department with an annual operating budget of $176 million, a 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Program of $614 million, and more than 200 employees.
“Travel should be accessible to all,” Patel said. “Be it a traveler who can afford a $49 fare or someone who can afford a $449 fare, it is in our best interest to have a wide range of airline partners providing sustainable and easily accessible flights to and from our community and points beyond.”