Virgin Australia second in command John Thomas departs after less than a year

Virgin Australia's second highest ranking executive is heading for the airline's departure lounge after less than a year in the job. Group executive John Thomas, who was in charge of Virgin's domestic and international operations, will leave the company this week, Virgin confirmed Thursday. It's understood Virgin management decided he was not the right fit for the role. Rob Sharp, CE of Tigerair, will step in for Thomas while the company decides on a replacement. Thomas had a long career as a well-regarded aviation consultant but had no experience as a senior executive of an airline before joining Virgin in September last year as part of a management shake-up. Thomas was seen as a potential replacement for Virgin CE John Borghetti, and his departure will complicate succession planning. <br/>