By the Caribbean Journal staff

Virgin Atlantic has announced the appointment of a new chief executive officer.

The air carrier has appointed Shai Weiss as its new CEO; Weiss has been serving as the airline’s chief commercial officer.

“On behalf of the whole Virgin family, I want to thank Craig for the fantastic job he has done in leading Virgin Atlantic these past five years,” said Virgin Atlantic President Richard Branson. “He has focused our people on providing the best customer service by refreshing our onboard experience, bringing in new planes and bringing us closer to our partner Delta, opening more destinations and opportunities for our flyers.”

Weiss will take up the position on Jan. 1, 2019, following the retirement of current Virgin Atlantic CEO Craig Kreeger, who will stay in the role until that point to assist with the transition process.

“I’ve worked closely with Shai for more than a decade and know his drive, commitment and passion mean the airline and our amazing people are in great hands,” Branson said. “The next few years are exciting as we build on the opportunities created by our expanded partnership with Delta and Air France-KLM to bring in more new planes and access to more routes.”