Long-serving Tui Airlines chief operating officer Chris Browne is to leave the business at the end of September, the travel group confirmed yesterday.
Widely recognised as a pioneer of the leisure airline sector, she was responsible for the introduction of the new generation Boeing 787 Dreamliner into the Thomson Airways fleet in 2013.
The group’s airlines now operate 13 Dreamliners which have revolutionised long haul travel.
Browne, who was awarded an OBE in the same year, is standing down after 16 years with Tui and its predecessors.
She held a number of senior positions, primarily as managing director of both First Choice and Thomson Airways.
Browne headed the merger of Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways in 2007-08.
She was included into the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame last year and she has just been awarded an honorary degree for outstanding service to aviation by Cranfield University.
Browne has more than 25 years of experience in the travel sector and was the youngest female general manager for Iberia.