Just before London Heathrow airport announced that passenger numbers plunged 81% in September from 6.8m in 2019 to 1.3m, International Airlines Group (IAG) announced changes to its senior management team with immediate effect.
Alex Cruz, British Airways chairman and chief executive, has been moved aside but will remain the airline’s non-executive chairman. Sean Doyle, Aer Lingus chairman and chief executive, will become the new chief executive of British Airways and take over as chairman after a transition period.
Fernando Candela, CEO of LEVEL, is joining the IAG’s management committee in a new role of chief transformation officer. While over at Aer Lingus, Donal Moriarty, currently the airline’s chief corporate affairs officer, will become interim CEO. A permanent appointment will be announced at a later date.
New IAG chief executive, Luis Gallego is stamping his own authority across the group, no doubt mindful of comments from the UK government that the airline group leadership was in danger of turning into an all-Spanish affair. Sean Doyle though is a great choice, he spent decades with British Airways (BA) in fleet management before cutting his teeth as CEO at Aer Lingus for the past two years.
Sean is a gentleman, you will not find a more laidback and polite but super sharp businessman in the airline market today, and in many ways Sean is the new Willie Walsh that IAG needs at BA to keep the careful balance between running a successful airline while dealing diplomatically but firmly with high-level political and union interests at all times. The latter was where Alex Cruz came-up short in the opinion of union leaders and many UK government MPs.
All this comes as European carriers will maintain schedules at around 45% on 2019 levels over winter 2020/21 as previously reported here.
Disclosure: The writer holds IAG shares.