Aer Lingus, the Irish airline, has made a surprise choice for its new chief executive, appointing Christoph Mueller to replace Dermot Mannion, who announced his resignation in April.

The 47-year-old Mr Mueller, who will start in October, has extensive experience across the aviation sector, having worked for Daimler Benz Aerospace, Lufthansa, Belgian carrier Sabena, and the international courier group DHL.