Alaska Air Group CEO Brad Tilden will retire March 31, 2021, when Alaska Airlines president Ben Minicucci will step up to the chief executive role, the carrier announced.
Tilden, who has been Alaska's CEO for eight years, in a statement said it "was time to move forward with this long-planned transition" as the carrier is "through the initial phases of our coronavirus response, and Alaska is on a solid trajectory." Tilden will remain Alaska's board chair upon his retirement.
Minicucci has been with Alaska for 16 years, serving as its president since 2016, and he also was CEO of Virgin America while Alaska integrated the carrier following its acquisition.