MEXICO CITY — A new year, a new CEO for Interjet Airlines, which just announced that William Shaw will succeed José Luis Garza, effective immediately.

Garza, who’s set to join Interjet’s Board of Directors, has over 26 years of experience in the aviation industry, from his early days at a check-in desk in Mexico City Airport, to his most recent venture of a low-cost start-up in the Dominican Republic. Other notable accomplishments including the founding of VivaColombia, launching Viva Air, the first value airline in Peru, and starting the Flycana Project, the first LCC in the Caribbean, in May 2018.

Miguel Alemán Magnani, Chairman and President of ABC Aerolíneas, S.A. de C.V., the parent company of Interjet Airlines, said that Shaw’s appointment reflects the carrier’s continued investment in its team members, fleet and product.

“Adding someone with William’s experience, entrepreneurship and understanding of the aviation industry to our team will be of great benefit to the continued growth of the airline, particularly our international business, and all of us at Interjet are excited to have him onboard,” he said. “At the same time, I want to personally thank José Luis Garza, who has successfully guided Interjet from our humble beginning flying just three aircraft to four destinations in Mexico to today, where Interjet has become of the world’s fastest growing airlines in North America.”

In October 2017, Interjet successfully launched year-round, nonstop service between Vancouver International Airport and the dual destinations of Mexico City and Cancun. The launch was widely seen as a competitive move against WestJet, which launched weekly flights) from Calgary and Vancouver to Mexico City five months later.

On joining the Interjet team, Shaw said: “These are very challenging and competitive times in the airline industry, and I have been very impressed with Interjet’s success to date. Our ‘Value Proposition’ of offering the flying public much more for less, along with the customer experience we provide business and leisure travellers, have been one of the keys to differentiating Interjet from other carriers in our class, and we will continue to do so.”