Air Canada Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau will step down after the third quarter, the airline said, following criticism over an English-language condolence video after a deadly collision at a LaGuardia runway in New York City.
Rousseau delivered a video speech in English after the accident, but only made greetings in French at the beginning and end of the video. Canada is officially a bilingual country, and Air Canada is obligated to offer services in both languages. The video was criticized by Prime Minister Mark Carney, and the Quebec legislature voted 92 to zero in favor of Rousseau’s retirement.
“I am deeply saddened that my inability to speak French has diverted attention from the profound grief of the families and the great resilience of Air Canada’s employees,” Rousseau said in a statement on Thursday.
One of the pilots killed was from French-speaking Quebec.
Air Canada notes that it has been working on a succession plan for the past two years with a comprehensive internal development program for current executives. The board began an external global search in January 2026.
“We are grateful for the determined leadership he has provided not only in steering our company through the 2007-2008 financial crisis, COVID and other challenges, but also in capturing opportunities such as the acquisition of Aeroplan, in restoring the solvency of our pension plans and in advancing customer centricity and employee well-being priorities,” stated Vagn Sørensen, Chair of the Board of Directors.
