MONTREAL, Dec. 22, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Cathay Pacific and Air Canada today announced they have finalized a strategic cooperation agreement that will enhance travel services for Cathay Pacific customers when travelling within Canada and for Air Canada customers travelling via Hong Kong to Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.
Cathay Pacific and Air Canada customers will be able to book travel to their final destination on a single ticket with through-checked bags as well as enjoy reciprocal mileage accrual and redemption benefits. Tickets will go on sale January 12, 2017 for travel beginning January 19, 2017.
Air Canada will offer codeshare services to an additional eight cities in Southeast Asia on flights operated by Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon connecting with Air Canada's double daily service to Hong Kong from Toronto and Vancouver. Air Canada will place its code on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights to Manila, Cebu, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.
Cathay Pacific customers will be able to book travel on Air Canada flights connecting with Cathay Pacific's up to three daily flights to Vancouver and up to two daily services to Toronto from Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific will place its code on Air Canada flights to all major cities across Canada including Winnipeg, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Kelowna, Regina, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Halifax and St. Johns.
When travelling on these services, members of Air Canada's loyalty program, Aeroplan, and Cathay Pacific's travel and lifestyle rewards program, Asia Miles, will be eligible to earn and redeem miles on the above mentioned codeshare routes.
"This agreement with Cathay Pacific will offer Air Canada customers more travel options and reciprocal mileage accrual and redemption benefits when travelling to many important destinations in Southeast Asia," said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. "It is a strategic cooperation of mutual benefit and underscores our commitment to offer our customers the very highest quality and service connecting Canada and the world. We look forward to introducing Air Canada codeshare service on Cathay Pacific's flights and welcoming Cathay Pacific's customers on our flights beginning in the New Year."
Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Ivan Chu said: "Our new codeshare agreement with Air Canada significantly broadens the Canadian network and connectivity for our customers, increasing our reach and expanding choices. Canada is a key destination for Cathay Pacific – the launch of our non-stop service to Vancouver in 1983 marked our very first route to North America – and we look forward to working together with Air Canada and welcoming guests from the airline onto our flights soon."
Cathay Pacific currently operates double daily flights to Vancouver from Hong Kong using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. From 28 March 2017, the airline's Vancouver schedule will be enhanced by the addition of three extra weekly services, which will be operated by Airbus A350-900 aircraft, bringing the total number of flights to the Canadian city to 17 per week. Cathay Pacific also operates 10 weekly flights between Hong Kong and Toronto.
Air Canada operates daily non-stop flights year-round from both Toronto and Vancouver to Hong Kong. Flights from Toronto are operated with Boeing 777-200ER aircraft and flights from Vancouver with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
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, 57 in the United States and 90 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. 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.
About Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon
Cathay Pacific is a Hong Kong-based airline offering scheduled passenger and cargo services to some 200 destinations worldwide, using an ultra-modern fleet of more than 140 wide-body aircraft, including the technologically-advanced Airbus A350. Cathay Pacific believes in providing its customers with award-winning products and services at every stage of their journey, in line with its philosophy of a "Life Well Travelled". Cathay Dragon is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific. The airline operates a fleet of 42 passenger aircraft serving 52 regional destinations, including 23 cities in Mainland China. Cathay Dragon is widely recognised for its product and service quality, winning numerous awards and accolades in recent years. For more information, visit www.cathaypacific.com and www.cathaydragon.com.
SOURCE Air Canada
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