Emerald Isle becomes fourth European destination in Air Canada rouge network

MONTREAL, April 23, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada today announced that its current seasonal service between Toronto and Dublin, Ireland will be converted to year-round service operated by its new leisure carrier, Air Canada rouge, beginning in 2014. Air Canada will operate the route this year from May 17 through to September 30, 2013 and Air Canada rouge will commence year-round service starting May 1, 2014. Bookings on the new Air Canada rouge service will become available starting in June 2013 on aircanada.com and through travel agents.

"Air Canada has been serving Ireland since its predecessor, Trans-Canada Air Lines, first flew to Shannon in 1947. Today, there is a very strong market for both leisure customers and visiting friends and relatives, so this is an ideal market for our new leisure carrier, Air Canada rouge, to operate more cost effectively on a year-round basis," said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada. "This is the fourth European destination announced for Air Canada rouge, which will begin flying this July to Edinburgh, Venice and Athens in addition to a number of Caribbean destinations. We intend to grow Air Canada rouge quickly from four aircraft to 32 aircraft by the end of 2014 and 42 aircraft by the end of 2015."

Air Canada rouge's July 1 launch network also includes eleven destinations in the Caribbean.  Its startup fleet consists of two Airbus A319 aircraft and two Boeing 767-300ER aircraft that will grow to ten aircraft by the end of 2013, 32 aircraft by the end of 2014 and 42 aircraft by the end of 2015.

Air Canada rouge's Boeing 767-300ER aircraft feature a two-cabin configuration with three customer comfort options including rouge, rouge Plus with preferred seating with additional legroom, and, beginning in winter 2013, Premium rouge offering both additional room and enhanced service.  The airline's Airbus A319 aircraft are configured with rouge and rouge Plus preferred seating.  All flights will offer customers streamed wireless inflight entertainment, stylish and modern cabin interiors with innovative new seats, and the ability to earn and redeem Aeroplan miles. For more information and bookings, please visit: http://www.aircanada.com/en/about/rouge.html

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 175 destinations on five continents.  Canada's flag carrier is the 15th largest commercial airline in the world and in 2012 served close to 35 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 59 Canadian cities, 51 destinations in the United States and 67 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 1,329 destinations in 194 countries.  Air Canada rewards its most loyal customers through its top tier recognition program, Altitude, that offers frequent flyers a range of priority travel services, lounge access and upgrades to Executive Class, complementing their membership in Aeroplan, Canada's premier loyalty program, which provides numerous ways to earn and redeem Aeroplan Miles with over 150 travel and retail partners.

About the Air Canada Leisure Group

Together with Air Canada Vacations, Air Canada rouge offers a leisure travel that combines Air Canada benefits and Air Canada Vacations excellence in vacation tour planning with friendly and competitive pricing to exciting leisure destinations in Europe, including this summer Edinburgh, Venice and Athens, Dublin next summer and the Caribbean with multiple destinations in Cuba, Costa Rica, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. As a wholly-owned subsidiary, Air Canada rouge is backed by Air Canada's 75-year reputation for safety and reliability and Air Canada Vacations' 30-plus year history of vacation travel excellence. Air Canada rouge's first flights are set to take off July 1, 2013. Learn more at www.aircanada.com/rouge or www.facebook.com/AirCanadarouge and www.aircanadavacations.com

SOURCE: Air Canada