MEDIA RELEASE
New Pacific Blue CEO Announced
Thursday 2 April 2009. Christchurch, New Zealand. Pacific Blue Airlines has appointed Mark Pitt as its new CEO,
replacing John Bartlett who has retired from the airline.
Mr Pitt has been CEO at Christchurch-based Mount Cook Airlines for the past two years. Prior to the CEO position he was
Mount Cook Airlines Operations Manager.
Previous airline experience includes roles with Ansett New Zealand and Qantas New Zealand, and more than a decade with
the Royal New Zealand Airforce as a pilot and as recruitment director.
Retiring CEO John Bartlett noted Mark’s depth of aviation experience at both an operational and management level and
wished him well in his new role.
“The spirit of fun and competition is alive and well at Pacific Blue. I’m sure that Mark will thoroughly enjoy working
with the team of more than 450 New Zealanders who focus every day on offering a safe, affordable and quality travel
experience for our Guests.”
Mr Bartlett said that Pacific Blue was experiencing continued growth, including announcing new services in the past
month from Adelaide and Melbourne to Fiji, and from Melbourne and Sydney to Bali.
Mark Pitt will take up the CEO role in July. In the interim the airline has appointed its Engineering Manager, Peter
Morgan, as Acting CEO.
About Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue, Virgin Blue and V Australia
Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue, along with Australian-based airlines Virgin Blue and V Australia, have a fleet of 73
modern Boeing 777, 737 and Embraer E-Jet aircraft flying throughout Australia and New Zealand and to a range of
international destinations including the USA, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Cook
Islands and Bali.
ends