Le Beau Brings Fresh View To New Role At AC

Travel agents are an integral part of the overall Air Canada team and will be treated as such by the airline’s newly minted senior director of agency sales, planning and optimization.

That’s the pledge from Louise Le Beau, whose extensive background in revenue management promises to bring a fresh approach to the relationship between Air Canada and its independent retail sales force, reports Montreal editor, Mike Dunbar in this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press.

Although she’s never worked directly in sales, Le Beau says her experience in planning and data analysis will enable her to optimize the potential inherent in the agency channel.

But first, the math major from the Université de Montréal, who also boasts a master’s degree in operational research, figures she needs to do some listening.

“I need to understand what works and what doesn’t work,” she told CTP. And one of the people she’s been listening to is Sue Clements, who spent two decades in the job before taking retirement in April.

While she didn’t reveal the advice given by Clements, Le Beau’s stated aim in her new job is remarkably similar to her predecessor’s.

“I want to ensure that there’s a balance in the relationship and that it’s a win-win situation for both parties,” she explained, adding, “If there’s imbalance and one party is losing out, then both lose out in the long term.”

For the full story, check out this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press by clicking here.