THE BASICS
Name: Andrew Yiu
Title: Vice president, Product
Company, city: Air Canada; Toronto, Ontario
First job: Customer service agent at Northwest Airlines in Vancouver, British Columbia
Where to next: Anywhere in Asia
A LITTLE BIT MORE
What actor or actress would play you in a movie of your life?
Jackie Chan — a great combination of sense of humor and talent What would you be doing professionally if you weren’t in your current industry? In the hotel or cruise industry, leading product and marketing
What is your favorite book, movie or television show?
The Amazing Race; I love how the show travels around the world, and it’s always great to see relatable airport and airplane scenes.
What historical figure, dead or alive, would you love to have dinner with?
The Wright brothers
THE BUSINESS
What is your most recent project, and what was the inspiration behind it?
COVID helped us think about what’s important to customers, and our CleanCare+ Program grew from it. We were the first airline to implement such a program and the mandatory requirement of wearing masks on board. Safety will always be our top priority, so it was important for Air Canada to develop a program that gives our customers and employees confidence in a safe and secure travel environment. As we emerge from this pandemic, we are restarting many aspects of our products and services, and I think the CleanCare+ Program is one change that will stay with us.
What is your favorite aspect of the job?
Working with a dedicated team focused on designing innovative products for our customers; it’s rewarding to see a product go live and be well-received by customers and employees. What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever taken? In 2016 the planning began to create an exclusive product for customers paying full fare for premium cabins. As a result, in 2017 we launched the Air Canada Signature Suite for our premium customers at Toronto and Vancouver, effectively opening a full-service restaurant within an airport environment. We did not have anyone on the team with restaurant startup experience, let alone within an airport and all its constraints. I cannot stress enough how well the team came together, and we pulled it off! It was well worth the risk.
Who is someone you admire professionally in the travel industry?
Someone I admire professionally and worked well with is Ben Smith, CEO, Air France- KLM. Ben was my mentor; he is a walking encyclopedia of aviation and someone who cares deeply about the customer experience in every business decision.
AS A TRAVELER
Tell us about a travel nightmare: I was stuck in Japan a few years ago as the worst typhoon in almost 50 years struck Tokyo over Thanksgiving. It was unclear when we would get out with everything shut down and devastation around the country. I looked at connecting via China or Europe, but everything was booked for days. Tokyo is one of my favorite cities, so I didn’t mind having some extra time there.
Share a comical travel experience: I’ve always been an aviation fanatic. Prior to joining the airline industry, friends and I used to fly to earn frequent-flyer miles, known as mileage runs. One of the best was a Toronto–Chicago–San Francisco–Hong Kong– Singapore–Hong Kong routing. When the check-in agent in Toronto asked if there was a mistake since our final destination was Hong Kong, we convinced her we did not mind flying to Singapore and back right away!
What is your preferred method of travel — planes, trains, automobiles, cruise ships — and why? I love to fly, especially ultra-long-haul flights where you can have a good meal and catch up on work and movies with just enough time to squeeze in a nap!
What has been the best example of customer service you’ve experienced during your travels?
I get to witness many examples of great customer service when I fly as a customer on Air Canada! In other industries, when a hotel proactively goes the extra mile to take care of my family, I appreciate those moments. W Hong Kong comes to mind. My wife and I traveled there for one of our anniversaries, and [ever] since, they’ve remembered us. If our trip coincides with our anniversary, they remember and put something special in our room. Sometimes it’s the little things that matter the most.
Read This Next
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedNovember 2024
Nov 20, 2024A Fusion of History and Modernity Makes Bangkok a Perfect Meeting Spot
In this city of contrasts, glass skyscrapers stand behind century- old temples. Street food vendors sling steaming noodles along roadways while tucked-away restaurants serve multicourse, Michelin-level cuisine. Roadways jam with cars as jewel-toned tuk tuks whizz through the gridlock. Long considered a tourist mecca, Bangkok also makes for a dynamic, budding location for corporate travelers.
Sponsored Content
Explore Egypt on the Most Extraordinary Tour Ever
Picture this: You’re standing in front of the Great Pyramid, the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, in complete silence, with no crowds in sight. As you step inside, your guide leads you to hidden chambers inaccessible to other tourists. Here, you’re granted a rare chance to delve into the deepest mysteries of ancient Egypt.
Daily
Nov 20, 2024Le Massif de Charlevoic, Québec, Announces Winter Ski Season Festivities
Ski fever? This year, skip the long flight over the water and stay a little closer to home at four-season Le Massif de Charlevoix resort in Québec. Snow fun kicks off Nov. 30 when skiers and snowboarders carve the first tracks of the season. The resort, about an hour from Québec City and 20 minutes from Baie-Saint-Paul, is the location of North America’s first Club Med mountain village.
Daily
Nov 20, 2024Celebrate the Holidays at This Hotel on Italy’s Amalfi Coast
Spend the holiday season in Italy with a stay at Anantara Convento di Amalfi Hotel. The only 5-star hotel in the area hosts festive experiences from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.
Sponsored Content
United Airlines First to Purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel for ORD
Chicago O’Hare International Airport will soon receive sustainable aviation fuel, all thanks to United Airlines, which became the first airline to purchase SAF for use at the airport, one of the largest in the United States. Neste, a producer of SAF, will provide up to 1 million gallons of its Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel. The first supply arrived in August.
eFlyer Reviews
Nov 20, 2024Château des Fleurs Review
Just a short block from the Champs Elysées, flower-bedecked window boxes grace the corner and clearly identify Château des Fleurs. This 37-room boutique hotel is one of Vivre-LMB’s five small hotels in Paris owned by Olivier Bertrand and his sisters and affiliated with Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
Save Up to 50 Percent Off HX Expeditions
eFlyer Deals
Nov 20, 2024Xanterra Launches Thankful for Travel Sale
eFlyer Deals
Nov 20, 2024eFlyer Lead
Nov 20, 2024Chase Opens 2 New Lounges This Year, More Slated for 2025
This year, both Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and San Diego International Airport welcomed new Sapphire Lounge by The Clubs. These two lounges join existing locations in New York (JFK) and Boston (BOS).
Sponsored Content
Pick Your Paradise: Experience Bali at 3 Incredible Hotels
Bali is a name synonymous with island bliss. But there is more than just one side to this incredible place. Get a sense for the variety of experiences Bali offers by learning about three hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with distinctive opportunities for adventure and relaxation. With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, earn points for free nights at each of these properties.
Daily
Nov 20, 2024South Africa’s Newest Experiential Safari Eco-Lodge Opens Early 2025
Luxury hospitality brand Few & Far debuts its newest eco-lodge next year, bringing a reimagined safari experience to South Africa. Few & Far Luvhondo will open in Limpopo, South Africa, offering just six cliffside suites within the elusive Soutpansberg Mountains, part of UNESCO’s Vhembe Biosphere Reserve (one of the world’s most biologically diverse regions in the world).
ShareThis