MONTREAL, April 2 /CNW Telbec/ - In a first for Canadian airlines, Air
Canada customers will now be able to start watching movies and enjoy other
on-board entertainment from the moment they take their seats on the aircraft
up to the time they disembark.
    "Air Canada already offers industry-leading in-flight entertainment with
hundreds of hours of movies, television programs and music available on demand
through our seatback in-flight entertainment system. Now, with the approval of
the Canadian government, we can begin safely offering this amenity before and
during take-off and while landing so that our customers can enjoy the greatest
shows on earth, and not just in the skies," said Louise McKenven, Senior
Director Product Design - Marketing, at Air Canada. "The increased
availability of our in-flight entertainment will make flying even more fun and
pleasurable for our customers, not least by reducing the likelihood they will
be left hanging by having the flight end before their program is over."
    The expanded service takes effect beginning in April and coincides with a
stellar new monthly movie line-up. A parade of Oscar winners will make their
in-flight debut aboard Air Canada, including Slumdog Millionaire, named best
picture at the 2009 Academy Awards, as well as The Reader, Frost/Nixon, Milk,
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, and The Class. Movie buffs who
have already seen these films can choose from a wide range of other movies or
hundreds of hours of TV programming, including the HBO hits Big Love,
Entourage and True Blood. There is also digital audio entertainment offering
more than 100 CDs, including Bruce Springsteen's new album, Working on a
Dream.
    For passenger safety, some restrictions apply. Customers will be able to
use Air Canada's in-flight entertainment system to watch movies, television
shows or listen to music immediately upon boarding. However, under safety
protocols approved by Transport Canada, passengers will be required to use
only "ear bud" type headsets. As well, in order that programs can be
interrupted for safety messages and other information, use of personal
entertainment devices, such as ipods, will only be allowed once the aircraft
is in-flight and the captain has granted permission.
    Air Canada provides all customers with a personal entertainment system at
each seat back on board all its aircraft. The digital quality audio and video
on-demand system offers a choice of films, TV shows and CDs totalling over 300
hundred hours of entertainment. Visit the enRoute website for complete
inflight entertainment listings: www.enroute.aircanada.com/en/entertainment

    Montréal-based Air Canada provides scheduled and charter air
transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 170 destinations on five
continents. Canada's flag carrier is the 14th largest commercial airline in
the world and serves 33 million customers annually. Air Canada is a founding
member of Star Alliance, providing the world's most comprehensive air
transportation network for Canadian domestic, transborder and international
travel. Air Canada aircraft offer customers individualized seatback in-flight
entertainment systems with hundreds of hours of digital audio-visual
entertainment. As well, customers can collect Aeroplan miles for future awards
through Canada's leading loyalty program.
    In 2008, the readers of Business Traveler magazine voted Air Canada "Best
In-Flight Services in North America," "Best Airline for Business Class Service
in North America" and "Best North American Airline for International Travel."