Ops boss

Sean Donohue, Chief operating officer, Virgin Australia

Does Sean Donohue have the longest to-do list in aviation?

Does Sean Donohue have the longest to-do list in aviation? As chief operating officer for Australia’s second largest airline group, the veteran air-line executive is in charge of implementing many of the substantial changes that have seen Virgin Blue metamorphose to the reborn Virgin Australia. The achievements to date are impressive: a new livery, interior reconfigurations including the introduc-tion of business class, the entry into service of two new types in the Airbus A330 widebody and the ATR 72 turboprop, the integration of the former V Australia into Virgin Australia, a concerted (and success-ful) effort to improve on-time performance and a new centralised operations centre. On the to-do list are projects like adding extra aircraft gates at Sydney Airport, a new maintenance base at Sydney Airport, a pilot cadet scheme and planning for the recently announced 737 MAX order.