MONTREAL, Aug. 27, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada President and Chief Executive Officer, Calin Rovinescu, today announced the following organizational re-alignment effective September 1, 2014. 

Benjamin Smith, previously Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, is appointed to the new role of President, Passenger Airlines. In addition to his current responsibilities, Mr. Smith will now have cost as well as revenue oversight for passenger airline activities, with a view to optimizing the operating profitability of Air Canada, consistent with organizational structures at other large U.S. and European airlines. Mr. Smith continues to report to Mr. Rovinescu in this role.

"Ben has continuously demonstrated his passion, industry knowledge and proven leadership throughout his more than 20 years with Air Canada and has contributed significantly to our record revenues and  evolution of our products, services and airline alliances," said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. "In the next phase of Air Canada's development, we will need to have an even greater focus on our network and international activities, as we continue to drive towards sustainable profitability."

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 180 destinations on five continents.  Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2013 served more than 35 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 60 Canadian cities, 49 destinations in the United States and 73 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,316 airports in 192 countries.  Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax that ranked Air Canada in a worldwide survey of more than 18 million airline passengers as Best Airline in North America in 2014 for the fifth consecutive year.  For more information, please visit: www.aircanada.com.

SOURCE Air Canada