Toronto global hub expansion continues with second Brazilian destination

TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada has inaugurated new non-stop service between Toronto Pearson and Rio de Janeiro - Galeão International Airport with the departure of flight AC098. The year-round flight to Brazil's "Marvelous City" will complement Air Canada's existing daily non-stop service to Sao Paulo and further drive Air Canada's international expansion strategy.

"Air Canada is very pleased to become the only carrier operating non-stop flights between Canada and the celebrated city of Rio de Janeiro. The service complements our Toronto-Sao Paulo route, meaning Air Canada now offers two destinations in Brazil. The new route also reinforces our market-leading position as the only carrier flying non-stop between Canada and South America," said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines, at Air Canada.

"This service offers some of the quickest elapsed travel times from many U.S. north-east cities and is timed for convenient connections to our network over our Toronto Pearson global hub, including to Tokyo-Haneda, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, and further expands Air Canada's global reach from Toronto. All flights will offer our International Business Class with lie flat seats, complimentary seatback entertainment throughout the aircraft and, for eligible customers, priority services including access in Toronto to our International Maple Leaf Lounge and concierge service."

Three-times-weekly service is being operated with a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with 24 International Business Class and 187 Economy seats. The flights will also be timed to offer convenient onward connections from RIOgaleão - Aeroporto Internacional Tom Jobim on Air Canada's interline partners.

Air Canada's Rio de Janeiro service:

About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 180 destinations on five continents.  Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2013 served more than 35 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 60 Canadian cities, 49 destinations in the United States and 73 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,316 airports in 192 countries.  Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax that ranked Air Canada in a worldwide survey of more than 18 million airline passengers as Best Airline in North America in 2014 for the fifth consecutive year.  For more information, please visit: www.aircanada.com.

SOURCE Air Canada - Route & Network