* Aviation unit managing director to leave immediately
* Unit's profit hurt by business losses at Heathrow
* Shares fall 19 pct to lowest in more than 3 yrs (Adds analyst comment, details, share price)
By Esha Vaish
Nov 5 (Reuters) - John Menzies Plc said full-yearprofit from its aviation business would be "materially" belowexpectations and that the unit's managing director would leavethe company immediately.
Shares of the Edinburgh-based company plunged about 19percent in early trading to their lowest in more than threeyears. The stock was among the biggest losers on the LondonStock Exchange.
Craig Smyth, who had led the division of John Menziesresponsible for aircraft refuelling, cargo and baggage handlingat airports worldwide, resigned in August but the date of hisleaving had not previously been announced.
Analysts from Liberum brokerage wrote that Smyth's immediatedeparture suggested the unit's issues may have been partly"execution-related", though pricing at London's Heathrow airporthas also hit business.
The company's aviation business, which also runs VIP loungesand handles ticketing, check-ins and aircraft de-icing, has beenaffected by the loss of some British Airways businessat Heathrow, as well as contract losses in Colombia andlower-than-expected cargo returns in Australia.
John Menzies said these factors would also hurt the aviationunit's results next year - bad news for the company, which hasbeen expanding in aviation support services to shore up profitsas dwindling demand has stymied growth of its other mainbusiness, magazine and newspaper distribution in the UK.
N+1 Singer analysts cut their full-year group adjustedpretax profit forecast by 10 percent to 43.1 million pounds($68.8 million) but said they would revise their expectations asnew CEO Jeremy Stafford "hones the future strategy".
As part of a management revamp, Stafford last month becamethe group's first CEO in more than seven years. It had earlierbeen run by two managing directors, a finance director and acompany secretary.
John Menzies' shares were down 19.3 percent at 392.75 penceat 0851 GMT. (1 US dollar = 0.6268 British pound) (Editing by Sunil Nair and Robin Paxton)