Fiji's international carrier Air Pacific will have a new CEO and Managing Director from the 1st of May this year.

Air Pacific Limited chairman Nalin Patel has announced today that Dave Pflieger will take over the position upon the retirement of John Campbell.

Pflieger is currently a Senior Vice President at Virgin America, an industry leading low-cost carrier that has been named "Best Domestic Airline" in the United States by Travel and Leisure magazine.

Patel said the board is extremely pleased that Air Pacific would be led by someone who played such key roles in building and launching two successful low-cost carriers.

Pflieger is 47 years old and has 25 years of aviation industry experience as a business executive, attorney and pilot.

He joined Virgin America as a founding officer in 2004.

He is also a Virgin American A319/320 Captain.

Prior to joining Virgin America, Pflieger was the Vice President of Operations for Delta Air Lines' low-cost airline subsidiary, Song.

He also flew the line as a 767, 757 and 737 pilot and was a member of Delta's Flight Operations and Technical Operations senior staff.

He was also a B-52 instructor pilot in the US Air Force.

Meanwhile, Patel has also thanked and praised John Campbell for his leadership and stewardship of Air Pacific over the past nine years.