In her previous role she led all safety, compliance and operational performance of Alaska Air’s mainline Boeing and Airbus fleet.
23 March 2021: Alaska Air announced the promotion of Constance von Muehlen from the SVP of maintenance and engineering to Chief Operating Officer of the airline effective 3rd April 2021. In her previous role she led all safety, compliance and operational performance of Alaska Air’s mainline Boeing and Airbus fleet. As the COO she will oversee the day-to-day operations on the ground and in the air for Alaska Airlines, focusing on delivering on Alaska’s commitment to genuine, caring service that ensures a safe, reliable, hassle-free and welcoming experience for all guests. She will also serve as board chair of McGee Air Services, where she will oversee operations at Alaska’s ground services subsidiary.
She succeeds current COO, Gary Beck, who has announced his retirement following an impressive 47-year career in aviation. Constance von Muehlen has an experience of over three decades in aviation. She received her leadership training flying Black Hawk helicopters as a Captain in the US Army. She will join the Alaska’s Executive Committee She and report to Ben Minicucci who will take up the post of Chief Executive Officer.
Commenting on the appointment, Ben Minicucci said, “Constance is a deeply trusted leader who brings out the best in people. She unlocks the potential of each individual to drive a solution-oriented team approach. Constance has an impressive ability to manage complexity, simplify systems and see around corners to meet the future demands of our business. As we welcome guests back to the skies following the COVID-19 crisis, I can’t think of a better person to oversee our recovery.”
In her previous role she also served as Horizon Air’s chief operating officer, where she oversaw the customer service, inflight, pilot, maintenance and system operations control teams. Before joining the airline in 2011 as Director of Engine Maintenance, von Muehlen spent 20 years in aviation maintenance, including her role as general manager of Pratt and Whitney Canada’s service center in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, and as director of airframe maintenance at Air Canada. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and a certificate in Executive Leadership Training from the Darden School at the University of Virginia. She also completed an executive MBA at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.
Upon assuming this role, von Muehlen will make Alaska Airlines history by becoming the company’s first female COO.
