Expands international network from Vancouver hub

VANCOUVER,, Sept. 15, 2014 /CNW/ - Air Canada announced today it will introduce non-stop flights between Vancouver and Osaka, Japan, next summer. Service to Osaka's Kansai International Airport will be operated up to five flights per week by Air Canada rouge with Boeing 767-300ER aircraft offering a choice of economy and premium cabins of service. Flights are planned to begin May 1, 2015 in time for peak summer travel and seats will be available for purchase at www.aircanada.com once Japanese government approval is obtained.

"We are very pleased to add Osaka to our international route network with the introduction of the only non-stop flights from Canada to Kansai International Airport starting May 1," said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines. "We expect this new seasonal service to be particularly popular with vacation travellers from Osaka seeking the renowned scenic beauty, outdoor activities and culture of Vancouver and B.C., as well as with North American customers travelling to Japan's second largest metropolitan centre. The flights to Kansai International Airport have been timed to connect conveniently at Air Canada's Vancouver hub to and from our extensive North American network.

"The expansion of Air Canada rouge to compete in the fast-growing Asian leisure market in tandem with Air Canada's mainline fleet renewal, is a key element of our strategy for sustainable, profitable growth at both airlines. By next summer, Air Canada rouge, Air Canada, and Star Alliance partner airline ANA will offer up to six daily non-stop flights between Canada and Japan," concluded Mr. Smith.  

"We are very pleased to hear Air Canada rouge is going to connect Vancouver directly to Osaka and the Kansai region of Japan. Our province's tourism industry is ready to welcome tourists and show them all Super Natural British Columbia has to offer. Though the first flight is a few months away, people can start planning their trips at http://hellobc.jp – our Japanese language tourism website," said Shirley Bond, B.C.'s Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour.

"This new Air Canada rouge service between Vancouver and Osaka, Japan further strengthens our already excellent air connections to Asia and reinforces YVR as the Asian gateway to North America," said B.C. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone. "Attracting new air passenger and cargo routes is a key pillar of our Pacific Gateway Transportation Strategy and the BC Jobs Plan. With Air Canada rouge now touching down in Osaka, business travellers and tourists will have better access to more destinations in B.C., Canada, Japan and Asia."

Air Canada rouge flights from Vancouver to Kansai International Airport are planned to begin May 1, 2015 subject to government approval, and will operate up to five times weekly until October 24, 2015.

Air Canada continues to evaluate future market opportunities as new aircraft are introduced into its mainline fleet and existing aircraft are released for operation by Air Canada rouge. Since the launch in July 2013 of Air Canada rouge, Air Canada has deployed its leisure carrier to a growing number of international, Caribbean and select sun destinations in the United States.

Air Canada rouge operates a fleet consisting of Boeing 767-300ER and Airbus A319 aircraft transferred from Air Canada. As at the end of June 2014, Air Canada rouge's fleet included eight Boeing 767-300ER aircraft and 19 Airbus A319 aircraft.

Air Canada's mainline fleet renewal is ongoing with the introduction of new aircraft. In May, the airline took delivery of its first 787 Dreamliner and is scheduled to receive a total of six 787 aircraft in 2014 with the remaining 31 scheduled between 2015 and 2019. In February 2014, Air Canada took delivery of the last of five new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to enter its mainline fleet.

About Air Canada rouge
Air Canada rouge is Air Canada's new leisure airline, part of the Air Canada Leisure Group, along with Air Canada Vacations. Together with Air Canada Vacations, Air Canada rouge offers competitively-priced travel to exciting leisure destinations in Japan, Europe (including Edinburgh, Venice, Athens, Lisbon, Dublin, Nice, Barcelona, Rome and Manchester) and multiple destinations in Mexico, the U.S. and the Caribbean (including Cuba, Costa Rica, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic).

Air Canada rouge offers a unique brand of customer service designed to make every flight a memorable start and end to a wonderful vacation. Aircraft are equipped with player, a next generation in-flight entertainment system that wirelessly streams entertainment to customers' personal electronic devices. Air Canada rouge's player system has proven popular as customers increasingly bring their own personal electronic devices onboard. For more information and bookings, visit: http://www.aircanada.com/en/about/rouge.html.

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. Learn more at www.aircanada.com/rouge or www.facebook.com/aircanadarouge.

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.

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SOURCE Air Canada