MONTREAL, Sept. 23, 2016 First Boeing 787 Dreamliner service from Montreal

/CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada today announced the introduction of daily year-round flights from Montreal to Shanghai, China beginning February 16, 2017. This marks Air Canada's first direct service to China from Montreal as well as the introduction of state-of-the-art Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft on flights departing from Montreal. Tickets will be available for purchase on aircanada.com and through travel agents on September 28. All Air Canada flights provide for Aeroplan accumulation and redemption and, for eligible customers, priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounge access, priority boarding and other benefits.

"Building on Air Canada's success in the rapidly growing Chinese market we are delighted to announce Air Canada's first direct flights between Montreal and China with the launch of Montreal-Shanghai service next year," said Calin Rovinescu, Air Canada's President and Chief Executive Officer.  "This also marks the introduction of Air Canada's first 787 Dreamliner aircraft service from Montreal, further underlining our commitment to expand our global reach and reinforce Montreal-Trudeau as a strategic hub. With today's announcement, Air Canada has increased its international capacity from Montreal by 133 per cent since 2009, with direct service to 13 cities in Europe, North Africa and China.

"China is Canada's second largest trading partner and Air Canada has made a significant investment of more than $1 billion in aircraft and equipment allocated specifically to serve the Chinese market from our Canadian hubs. We will be the first and only Canadian carrier to operate daily non-stop transpacific service between Montreal and the Asia-Pacific region, and with an elapsed time of 14.5 hours, it will be the longest flight ever operated by any carrier from Montréal-Trudeau airport. Together with our Star Alliance partners, Air China and Shenzhen Airlines, and partner Juneyao Airlines, a Shanghai based airline operating to more than 30 destinations in China, we will offer the growing number of travellers between Montreal and China even more convenient travel options to Chinese destinations," concluded Mr. Rovinescu.

"This new Montreal-Shanghai non-stop Air Canada service will help deepen our already strong people-to-people ties with China. It will also help boost tourism, trade and the economy and offer more choice for Canadian consumers. Today's announcement comes at an important time in Canada-China relations as demonstrated by the two back-to-back Leaders' visits over the past three weeks," stated Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, and Member of Parliament for Saint-Laurent.

"This new direct link between Montréal and Shanghai will not only make life easier for travelers, it will also encourage trade. Easier access to this new market will help foster economic development in our communities. Today's announcement is a testament to the relationship our governments have forged in recent years," said Quebec Minister of Economy, Science, Innovation and Minister responsible for Digital Strategy, Dominique Anglade.

"During Montreal's economic mission to China last year, the mayor of Shanghai and I renewed our twinning agreement by committing to strengthening our economic and commercial exchanges and continuing to work towards providing direct airline service between our two cities. I am certain today's announcement will generate significant economic opportunities, giving our organizations greater access to new markets and helping to attract foreign businesses that will create jobs for Canadians," stated Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal.

"Aéroports de Montréal wishes to sincerely thank Air Canada, which has spared no effort to develop its international network out of our airport and to create jobs and economic spinoffs locally. The launch of this daily non-stop flight between Montréal and Shanghai is further proof of this," said James Cherry, President and CEO, Aéroports de Montréal.

"As an important partner, Tourisme Montréal is thrilled about the improved air service between our city and China, a major tourism market for Montreal. This is an important strategic initiative for Tourisme Montréal. It is with determination that we will pursue our objective and ensure the continuity of these services, and that we will keep promoting Montréal as a choice tourism destination in other Asian markets," stated Yves Lalumière, CEO of Tourisme Montréal.

In Montreal, flights are timed to optimize connections to and from the carrier's extensive Eastern Canada and U.S. networks including Ottawa, Quebec City, Halifax, New York and Boston.

In Shanghai, Star Alliance partners Air China and Shenzhen Airlines, along with our partner Juneyao Airlines with whom we will launch an interline agreement in the coming weeks, offer excellent connectivity to domestic China destinations such as Chengdu, Chongqing and Shenzhen.

Air Canada's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft feature three cabins of service offering comfortable ergonomic seating and enhanced definition intuitive touch personal entertainment screens.  Air Canada's International Business Class cabin features 20 Executive Pods with 180-degree lie-flat seats in configuration guaranteeing direct aisle access. The Premium Economy cabin has 21 seats offering more generous personal space, wider seats and greater legroom and recline as well as premium meals, complimentary bar service and priority check-in and baggage delivery at the airport. The Economy cabin has 210 slimline seats providing comfortable personal space and state-of-the-art individual on-demand entertainment system.

Backgrounder

Air Canada at Montréal-Trudeau Airport (YUL)

• Air Canada served close to 7.6 million passengers at YUL in 2015, up 7.2 per cent from 2014.
• Summer 2016 Trans-Atlantic capacity increase of 26% over 2015 resulting in a 97% capacity growth in the last three years

Air Canada, a major corporation headquartered in Montreal since 1949, is the largest airline in Canada and among the 20 largest air carriers in the world.

The airline employs 5,500 employees in Montreal and in 2016, for the third year in a row, was named among the top employers in Montreal and recognized for its involvement in the community through the Air Canada Foundation among several other criteria.

Including employees of the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary Air Canada Vacations, its leisure carrier Air Canada rouge and its two Air Canada Express commercial partners, Jazz and Sky Regional, which operate flights exclusively for Air Canada, the Company employs over 7,000 individuals in the Montreal area.

Montréal-Trudeau Airport (YUL) is a strategic hub for Air Canada and international gateway, connecting its Québec and Atlantic Canada domestic network, with its U.S. transborder, Caribbean, European and the Air Canada North African route.

Air Canada, Air Canada rouge and its regional airline partners flying under the Air Canada Express banner operate on average approximately 2,100 flights per week between Montreal and 80 destinations: 23 in Canada including nine in Québec, 18 in the United States, 26 in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico, 12 in Europe, and one in North Africa. 

Montréal-Trudeau gateway to French speaking destinations

Air Canada provides service in both of Canada's official languages. As a fully bilingual operation, Montréal-Trudeau Airport is a strategic hub for Air Canada, an international gateway connecting its Québec and Atlantic Canada domestic network, with its U.S., Caribbean, European and only North African route. It plays a special role in connecting Canada with many French-speaking communities in the world, known as la francophonie, reflecting Montreal's unique character, with service to points throughout Québec and New Brunswick among other provinces, as well as to and from France (Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, Nice and Lyon), Switzerland (Geneva), Belgium (Brussels), Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti and since June 2016 Casablanca.

Air Canada Offers most non-stop flights to the U.S.

Air Canada recently introduced non-stop services between Montreal-Denver, Montreal-Houston and Montreal-Philadelphia. With the addition of these three routes, Air Canada offers non-stop flights to 18 U.S. cities from Montreal, the most of any airline.

Easy connections for international travelers flying to and from the U.S.

It has never been easier to connect in Montreal to Air Canada's global network including Paris, Geneva, Brussels and, beginning this summer Lyon and Casablanca. In addition to the introduction of our new international services from Montreal to Europe, Asia and North Africa, we are also seeing that international travelers are increasingly finding that connecting through Montreal on Air Canada is the most convenient way to fly to and from the U.S.

Air Canada International network (YUL)

• With the newly announced daily Montreal-Shanghai service, Air Canada will operate over 49 weekly flights to China including 21 from Toronto and 21 from Vancouver.
• 26% increase in peak trans-Atlantic (for a total of 97% in the past 2 years) capacity or 5,000 more seats per week to 12 cities across Europe and North Africa: Paris, London, Brussels, Geneva, Frankfurt, Lyon, Athens, Barcelona, Nice, Rome, Venice, and Casablanca, as well as Munich and Zurich in codeshare with Star Alliance partners Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines.
• Six new destinations; Hamilton, On, Lyon, Philadelphia, Houston, Denver and Air Canada's first service to Africa with Montreal-Casablanca flights.
• Air Canada flies non-stop to the most popular U.S. destinations from Montreal: New York City (LGA and EWR), Chicago (ORD), Las Vegas (LAS), Orlando (MCO) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL).
• In addition, Air Canada is the only carrier at Montreal-Trudeau to fly non-stop to Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Boston (BOS), Denver (DEN), Tampa (TPA), Fort Myers (RSW), West Palm Beach (PBI), Hartford (BDL), Washington Reagan (DCA), and Washington Dulles (IAD) through our Star Alliance partner United Airlines.
• Air Canada has three Maple Leaf Lounges at YUL:
  • A Domestic Maple Leaf Lounge: seating capacity of 160 and more than 260,000 visits in 2015
  • A renovated Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge: seating capacity of 95 and more than 110,000 visits in 2015
  • An International Maple Leaf Lounge with more than 90,000 visits in 2015

Air Canada Foundation

The Air Canada Foundation's primary focus is children and youth in need. It supports close to 70 local charitable organizations including: the Breakfast Clubs of Canada, the Montreal Children's, Sainte-Justine and Shriners Hospitals for Children. With the support of Aeroplan Miles generously donated by customers, the Foundation also manages a Hospital Transportation Program to ensure free travel for seriously ill young people who are unable to get the medical help they need in their local communities.  The Foundation also partners with humanitarian organizations in crisis situations.

Awards

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.  According to the 2015 Canadian Business Travel Survey conducted by Ipsos Reid, Air Canada was the preferred airline for more than 80 percent of frequent business travellers in Canada. 

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 200 airports on six continents.  Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2015 served more than 41 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 64 airports in Canada, 54 in the United States and 87 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,330 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.  For more information, please visit: www.aircanada.com, follow @AirCanada on Twitter and join Air Canada on Facebook.

SOURCE Air Canada - Route & Network