Air Canada CEO to Retire After English-Only Crash Message Criticized

Michael Rousseau's decision comes after his condolence video following a deadly crash at LaGuardia Airport drew backlash for not being in French.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 1:18am

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A photorealistic studio still life featuring a polished metal airplane model, a French-English dictionary, and a single red rose on a clean white background, symbolizing the intersection of aviation, language, and the human cost of a tragic crash.A somber still life representing the cultural and linguistic tensions surrounding the leadership transition at Air Canada following a deadly crash.NYC Today

Air Canada announced that CEO Michael Rousseau, 68, will retire by the end of the third quarter this year. Rousseau faced criticism for delivering an English-only message of condolence following a deadly crash at LaGuardia Airport in New York earlier this month, in which two French-speaking pilots from Quebec were killed. Canada's Prime Minister and Quebec's Premier said it is essential the next CEO of the airline be bilingual.

Why it matters

As Canada's largest airline and a company headquartered in the French-speaking province of Quebec, Air Canada's leadership is expected to be fluent in both of the country's official languages. Rousseau's failure to deliver a French message after the crash was seen as a lack of compassion and judgment, highlighting the importance of language and culture in the airline's operations.

The details

The crash at LaGuardia Airport occurred when an Air Canada Jazz flight from Montreal collided with a fire truck on the runway shortly after landing, killing the two pilots - Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther, both French-speaking Quebecers. Rousseau's English-only condolence message drew hundreds of complaints to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

  • On March 15, 2026, an Air Canada Jazz flight from Montreal crashed at LaGuardia Airport, killing two pilots.
  • On March 30, 2026, Air Canada announced that CEO Michael Rousseau will retire by the end of the third quarter.

The players

Michael Rousseau

The 68-year-old CEO of Air Canada who is retiring later this year after facing criticism for delivering an English-only message of condolence following a deadly crash involving the airline.

Mark Carney

The Prime Minister of Canada, who said Rousseau's decision to retire is 'appropriate' and that it is essential the next CEO of Air Canada be bilingual.

François Legault

The Premier of Quebec, who called on Rousseau to resign and said the Air Canada board must ensure the next CEO speaks French.

Antoine Forest

One of the two French-speaking pilots from Quebec who was killed in the crash at LaGuardia Airport.

Mackenzie Gunther

The other French-speaking pilot from Quebec who was killed in the crash at LaGuardia Airport.

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What they’re saying

“It is essential that the next CEO of Air Canada is bilingual.”

— Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

“I salute the decision of Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau to step down from his position. The Air Canada board of directors will have to ensure that the next CEO speaks French.”

— François Legault, Premier of Quebec

What’s next

The Air Canada board of directors will be tasked with finding a new CEO who is bilingual in English and French to lead the airline going forward.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of language and cultural sensitivity, especially for a company like Air Canada that operates in a bilingual country and is headquartered in a predominantly French-speaking province. The next CEO will need to be fluent in both official languages to effectively lead the airline and maintain public trust.