WELLINGTON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon resigned on Wednesday amid speculation of aiming the 2020 election, departing the airline after seven years in the top job.

It has been widely speculated that Luxon has ambitions to join the National Party, starting with the 2020 election. It is also understood that the National Party is keen to get Luxon on board as MP.

Botany, considered a safe National seat by the party, will have a selection race running around the end of summer, when Luxon said he would make a decision about what to do next.

Luxon will step down from day-to-day leadership of the airline on Sept. 25. Luxon has overseen a long run of success for Air New Zealand, which was one of the few airlines that were able to remain profitable through the global financial crisis.

Luxon was the highest-paid CEO of any company on the New Zealand stock exchange last year, earning 2.73 million U.S. dollars. Luxon was also the leader of the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's Business Advisory Council.