Air Canada CEO To Step Down After Crash, Backlash

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau will retire later this year, following criticism over his English-only condolence message after last week’s fatal LaGuardia Airport collision that killed two of the airline’s pilots.

Rousseau informed the airline on Monday that he will step down by the end of the company’s third quarter, Air Canada said in a statement, after nearly two decades of leadership.

“It has been my great honour to work with the dedicated and talented people of Air Canada and to represent our outstanding organization,” he said, adding that he will support the company during the transition.

The criticism followed a video Rousseau posted on X expressing condolences for pilots Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther, who died when an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck shortly after landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

Forest was from French-speaking Quebec.

Although the video included English and French subtitles, Rousseau spoke entirely in English. Canadian officials and politicians, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec Premier François Legault, condemned the move.

Carney said it showed a “lack of compassion,” while Legault suggested Rousseau should resign if he could not communicate in French.

Rousseau later apologised in a written statement released in both English and French, saying he was unable to express himself “adequately” in French despite years of lessons. “I am deeply saddened that my inability to speak French diverted attention from the grieving families and Air Canada staff,” he said.

“I sincerely apologize for this, but I am continuing my efforts to improve.”

The LaGuardia accident occurred shortly after the plane landed, when it collided with a fire truck stationed on the tarmac. Both pilots were killed, marking one of Air Canada’s deadliest incidents in recent years. The airline described the collision as a tragic accident, and investigations are ongoing.

Rousseau’s English-only video drew further scrutiny because Air Canada, headquartered in Montreal, operates under Canada’s Official Languages Act, which requires official communications and on-board announcements to be in both English and French. Rousseau, an anglophone, had faced similar criticism over his French skills when he became CEO in 2021 but had committed to continued improvement.

Following the video, Rousseau was summoned to Ottawa by Canada’s parliamentary committee on Official Languages to explain his remarks before MPs.

The incident reignited debates over bilingual obligations at Air Canada and the responsibilities of its leadership.

The airline emphasised that Rousseau’s retirement follows “nearly two decades of strong and dedicated leadership,” suggesting the decision is not solely tied to the controversy but comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for the company.