STAR ALLIANCE NAMES CEO, SENIOR MANAGEMENT
The Star Alliance network of airlines has named Jaan Albrecht as chief executive officer, replacing William L. Meaney who resigned.
Albrecht has served since 1999 as CEO of Aeromexpress, an all-cargo airline which was set up to manage the cargo operations of Mexicana Airlines and AeroMexico.
In addition, Kristian Kirchheiner has been named vice president and head of the Seamless Service and Product Development (SSPD) strategic development area. He veteran of SAS-Scandinavian Airlines, he was most recently president and CEO of airBaltic, the Latvian airline in which SAS has a 34.2-percent stake.
Kirchheiner succeeds Per Stendebakken, who has returned to SAS after completing his term as chair of the SSPD organization.
Alliance members are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Ansett Australia, Austrian Airlines, British Midland, Lauda Air, Lufthansa German Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, Tyrolean Airways, United Airlines and Varig Brazilian Airlines.