Kevin O’Connor

Kevin O’Connor was appointed Senior Vice President, Global Airports & Operations Control at Air Canada in March 2023, with oversight for the airline’s global operations teams, including all airports, System Operations Control (SOC), process optimization, regional airlines and markets. Kevin also plays a critical role in supporting Air Canada’s customer experience initiatives from an operational strategy standpoint and in driving the operations modernization vision.

In his previous senior leadership roles at SOC including that of Vice President, Kevin had overall responsibility for delivering the most effective and efficient day-of-flight operating schedule throughout Air Canada’s global network, while ensuring that all operating plans support safety, customer engagement, revenue growth and cost control. His extensive operational expertise, excellent interpersonal skills and customer service focus led a cultural transformation within the highly specialized and multifaceted airline SOC organization. He benchmarked and implemented best global airline practices in managing day-of operations, concurrently building a progressive culture that is cornered in teamwork, inter-departmental cooperation, leadership and accountability with focus on safety and the customer in all decision making.

Kevin began his career at Air Canada in 1996.  Based at the airline’s fourth largest airport at Calgary International Airport, he held several front-line operational roles in Aircraft Services, Station Operations (STOC), In-Flight Service, Cargo, Passenger Services. In 2008, he was appointed Director, System Operations Control (SOC) at Air Canada’s central operations complex in Toronto, ON to oversee the day-of-flight management of the entire global network. He also held the position of Senior Director and Managing Director of SOC. 

Kevin has been recognized with Air Canada’s internal Award of Excellence and he was also selected as Air Canada’s representative for the 2015 Duke of Edinburgh’s Emerging Leaders Dialogue, Canada.  He is a graduate of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Finance and Marketing.