MONTREAL — Air Canada has announced a new Vice President, Airports – North America: Robert Alan (Al) Read, who prior to this appointment served as Vice President, Operations at Air Canada Rouge.

In his new role, Read will be responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of Air Canada’s airport operational reliability and customer service across the continent. He will also oversee Air Canada’s Concierge program, which offers priority and premium ground services to the airline’s most frequent customers at more than 40 airports worldwide.

Read began his career at Air Canada in 1979 as a ramp Station Attendant at Toronto-Pearson. He then worked his way up various senior management positions across various branches in customer sales and service, resource planning, cargo operations and system operations control. In 2012, as Vice President, Operations at air Canada Rouge, he was responsible for operational aspects of the leisure carrier’s start-up, and since 2015 overall management responsibility for Rouge.

“A top priority for Air Canada is the continual improvement of the airport experience for our customers, including ease of connections. We know this is also a key consideration for global travellers. Al Read, with his wide experience in all aspects of airline operations, is well- suited to lead our airport teams as we take customer service and our airport operations to the next level, especially at our Toronto-Pearson global hub and hubs in Vancouver and Montreal,” said Benjamin Smith, Air Canada President of Passenger airlines.