Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau to retire after controversy over English-only response to fatal LaGuardia Airport crash
WASHINGTON: Air Canada said Monday that its CEO Michael Rousseau will retire later this year, in an announcement following controversy over his failure to issue condolences for a fatal airport disaster both in English and French.
Rousseau has informed the company’s board that he will retire by the end of the third quarter after nearly two decades of leadership, the airline said.
It added that work is underway to choose his successor.
Rousseau sparked controversy by issuing an English-only video message to express condolences after a deadly collision on March 22 between an Air Canada jet and a firetruck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
Media reports noted that one of the pilots killed in the accident was from French-speaking Quebec.
Rousseau later issued an apology, saying he was saddened that his limited French “has diverted attention from the profound grief of the families.”
“Despite many lessons over several years, unfortunately, I am still unable to express myself adequately in French. I sincerely apologize for this, but I am continuing my efforts to improve,” he said in a statement.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had previously also criticized the CEO’s conduct, saying he was “very disappointed, as others are, rightly so, in this unilingual message.”
