“I’m grateful”: Air Canada’s Tony Celio, after 37 years with the airline, retires

Air Canada’s Tony Celio is soaring into a new chapter of his life: retirement.

The airline’s long-time manager of speciality sales, after 37 years with the company, officially retires today (May 1).

Celio announced the news on his LinkedIn page Wednesday (April 30), calling his time at the airline an “amazing” experience.

“My journey at Air Canada has been nothing short of incredible and I’m grateful for having had the honour and privilege to work with incredibly talented individuals throughout my career,” wrote Celio, who started his career at the airline as a station attendant at Toronto Pearson airport in the late 1980s, loading and off-loading passenger baggage and cargo.

During the 1990s, and into the early 2000s, Celio was a customer service and sales representative, handling telephone inquiries in Air Canada’s call centre and groups department.  

In 2006, he was named manager of sales development, building relationships with tourist boards and representing the destinations that Air Canada flies to.

In 2010, he was named manager of speciality sales, overseeing an account portfolio, consisting of tour operators and travel advisors, valued at more than $100 million.

A dream since childhood 

On LinkedIn, Celio noted that aviation “has been a passion of mine ever since I was a child.”

“I owe it to my dad for instilling the bug in me with our Sunday drives to Pearson Airport, on the rooftop of the old T1 parking garage, watching the planes arrive and take off,” he wrote.

When the opportunity came to join Air Canada in 1988, “I didn’t think twice,” he continued. “And here I am, 37 years later, looking back at my incredible journey with this AMAZING airline, which allowed me the opportunity to meet amazing people and travel to many destinations across the world.”  

Celio thanked his “entire AC family” and travel industry partners for “the countless memories and friendships we’ve created over the years.”

“I will definitely cherish and remember every time I look up at an Air Canada plane flying overhead!” he said.

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