Pierre-Henri Gourgeon has resigned as CEO of Air France KLM.
The airline plans to replace Gourgeon, who has held the role of CEO since January 2009, with Alexandre de Juniac.
The board of directors hopes the shuffle will “improve the group's operating and financial performance in a context of economic uncertainties affecting the European air traffic”, according to an official statement.
“The position of Air France in respect of increased competition from new entrants” must also improve, the statement added.
The airline also announced that the final stage in the merger of Air France and KLM, the setting up of a dedicated holding, has been postponed from 2012 until 2013.
The move will allow “top priority” to be given to the “recovery and improvement of the performance of Air France and of KLM”, said the airline.