Daniel Banens has been appointed Jetstar's new head of New Zealand.
He will join Jetstar next February with almost 25 years' experience in airline and airport operations across Australia, Asia and the Middle East. He will replace Grant Kerr who announced he was leaving the airline in August.
Banens has most recently been based in Singapore as chief commercial officer for Dubai-based dnata, one of the world's largest providers of ground handling, cargo and catering services.
Prior to this, he held several senior operational roles including oversight of ground handling, ramp and airport customer service for dnata in Singapore, and similar roles at Oman Air, dnata in Dubai and Qantas.
Based in Auckland, Banens will lead Jetstar's more than 300 New Zealand staff and oversee local operations for the low cost airline's domestic, transtasman and Pacific Island services.
Jetstar chief executive Australia and New Zealand Dean Salter said Banens was selected from a field of very high calibre candidates.
Our New Zealand business has grown to be a major part of the Jetstar Group, carrying more than 2.5 million passengers a year on domestic and international services."
Under Kerr, the Qantas-owned airline started up regional services to compete with Air New Zealand.
