Air Canada President and CEO Michael Rosseau to Retire this Fall
by Marsha Mowers
Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau.
Air Canada President and CEO Micheal Rosseau will retire before the fall, after nearly two decades in the industry.
Rosseau informed the Board of Directors of Air Canada he will be retire by the end of third quarter 2026 and continue to lead the company and serve on its board until that time. Rosseau was appointed President and CEO in February 2021.
“It has been my great honour to work with the dedicated and talented people of Air Canada and to represent our outstanding organization, including as chair of the Star Alliance chief executive board and on the board of directors of the International Air Transport Association,” said Mr. Rousseau. “I look forward to supporting our company during this important transition period.”
In an email early Monday morning, Air Canada says an external global search was also commenced in January 2026 to identify potential additional candidates with the skills, and experience to lead Canada’s national airline, proudly headquartered in Montréal, Québec.
The Board will consider a number of performance criteria in assessing candidates including the ability to communicate in French.
Rosseau’s retirement announcement comes on the heels of recent criticism for not speaking French after he delivered a four-minute video message in English only, offering condolences following the fatal crash of Air Canada Express flight AC8646 last week.
