Ken McKenzie COO of Spirit Air

[flathead]

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... p-coo.html


Spirit Airlines has hired former WestJet executive Ken McKenzie as its COO, while Chris Grazel has been appointed vice president of flight operations for the low-cost carrier.

McKenzie most recently was executive vice president of operations at WestJet. Before joining the Canadian low cost carrier, he was chief pilot and in regulatory affairs at Air Canada regional partner Jazz.

Grazel joins Spirit from now-defunct Skybus Airlines, where he was vice president of operations. Grazel previously served as chief pilot at Skybus, where he was one of the founding employees.

Before joining that startup, Grazel was assistant chief pilot at US Airways. He also held several other pilot positions during his 19-year career at the legacy carrier.

[Pratt]

He has come along way from being a new hire f/o on the dash at CRA 8 or 9 years ago fresh from the military. I just hope he didn't have "chief pilot" at Jazz on his resume as quoted in the article above. He was in the "regulatory affairs" dept though.

Never did really hear why he left WJ, anyone care to explain?

[Jastapilot]

I thought the press release said it all, didn't it?

[Pratt]

I must have missed it.

[Jastapilot]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/WestJ ... story.html

[Pratt]

Thanks

[Jastapilot]

Can you read between the lines?

[Old fella]

Thought I heard it all in my advanced years but along comes this quote:

Generally, “the airline industry tends to attract excitement junkies and some of those have got pretty big egos and sometimes they bump into each other. I’m sure it happens in other industries,” he said.

[Pratt]

Oh yeah, I think I figured it out.

[Dhc6to8]

http://people.forbes.com/profile/ken-mckenzie/155667

Not bad for a guy who had to ride out of cowtown because Durfy didn't like him!

[ravensrule]

http://people.forbes.com/profile/ken-mckenzie/155667

Not bad for a guy who had to ride out of cowtown because Durfy didn't like him!

... or the rest of the company.

[Rotten Apple #1]

Durfy didn't like the rest of the company?

[conehead]

Don't forget that Durfy himself had to ride out of town as well...