KEY POINTS:
Air New Zealand has appointed Bruce Parton group general manager for all its shorthaul international and domestic operations, making him effectively number three in the airline
Parton, 41, who has been with the airline for 12 years is at present manager of the domestic fleet.
He succeeds airline veteran Norm Thompson who was recently appointed deputy chief executive.
Parton will be responsible for more than $2 billion of the company's revenue from regional airlines (Mt Cook, Eagle Air and Air Nelson), domestic jet services, transtasman and Pacific Island services as well as the New Zealand and Australasian airport operations.
The airline's chief executive Rob Fyfe said Parton had demonstrated a strong ability to implement change and drive profitability.
Parton said one of the most challenging jobs was managing domestic and airport operations at the time 1700 ground staff jobs were under threat of being outsourced.
"So much was at stake. It was very difficult emotionally for people - living and breathing it every day."
The jobs were kept inhouse after a settlement union officials described as making the best of a bad situation.
Parton takes up the role as competition on domestic routes intensifies following the entry of Pacific Blue and Qantas' plans to match Air New Zealand's push to improve services for business travellers.
Parton said Air New Zealand was revelling in the competition.
"As far as competition goes we see it as good for the market, a stimulation in demand. A whole lot of mums and dads start travelling. We just want to make sure we get our share of the pie," Parton said.
Air New Zealand, which is boosting the size of its Air Nelson fleet, plans over the next few months to complement its expanded main trunk services with new routes and improved frequencies to provincial centres.
"What most people are clamouring out for is more frequency. That's what tourists want, not a 737 dropping in every two days."
Parton said he enjoyed the tradition of top executives working with frontline staff.
It is a requirement to do at least a day a month in other airline jobs and he estimated 10 per cent of his time was spent working with cabin crew.
"It's absolutely critical for me and the other executives that we understand what the people are doing every day. Often you see your friends there - usually they're quite surprised. It's really important to us that we do that sort of thing."
* Air New Zealand yesterday announced growth in passenger numbers last month.
Numbers across all parts of the airline were 6.2 per cent higher in October 2007 than in the same month last year. This growth was achieved across both short-haul and long-haul routes, with 3.5 per cent and 28 per cent growth respectively.
BRUCE PARTON
* Age 41
* 12 years with Air NZ
* Roles include:
GM domestic airline
GM Pacific airline
GM Airline operations
