Keating, who joined the low-cost carrier in December 2022 following 15-month stint at Norse Atlantic Airways, announced his departure from the business in a LinkedIn post.

“Having spent the best part of the last four years commuting between the UK and the Nordics, I have recently had to make a hard (but also easy) decision to be back in the UK on a more permanent basis for family reasons,” he explained. 

Keating proceeded to thank his colleagues at Play for “making [him] feel part of the family”, hailing what he described as "a great brand and organisation" with "great people" – one he said he was sure would thrive for years to come and one he was delighted to have been a part of.

During his tenure as Play’s executive director of commercial, Play’s revenue doubled from $140 million (£110.6 million) in 2022 to $282 million (£222.7 million) in 2023, while passenger numbers almost doubled (+92%) to 1.5 million.

An airline industry veteran, Keating has held commercial roles with the likes of Air Transat, Etihad Airways and easyJet. Looking ahead, Keating said he would spend the next couple of months with his family before thinking of what’s next. “One thing is for sure, just like Arnie, I will be back!” he added.