Name change June 1 highlights rebranded regional service

MONTREAL, May 31, 2011 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada announced today that services operated for it by Jazz Aviation LP will begin flying under the name Air Canada Express beginning June 1. The name change is part of an ongoing rebranding of all Air Canada's regional services to make it easier for customers and assure them of consistency when booking a flight.

"The name Air Canada Express conveys efficient, rapid service and assures customers that whether their flight is operated by Air Canada mainline or Air Canada Express they can expect a consistently high-quality travel experience. Where previously our regional services used different names depending on the operating carrier, by adopting the name Air Canada Express for all our regional services we are making it easy for customers to identify when they are booked on a regional carrier," said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "Apart from the reliability they associate with the Air Canada name, customers flying on Air Canada Express will also enjoy many mainline customer benefits. These include Aeroplan mileage accumulation and redemption, seamless baggage transfer, one stop check-in, advance seat selection and priority services for eligible customers where available."

Beginning June 1, all Air Canada flights operated on its behalf by Jazz will fly under the name Air Canada Express and this will be reflected in announcements both at the airport and on-board aircraft. The first Jazz Aviation aircraft to feature the Air Canada Express livery is a new Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft that will begin service this month, with the remainder of the Jazz fleet flying for Air Canada Express to adopt the new livery as additional aircraft are delivered or existing aircraft repainted under their regular paint schedule. Already, Air Canada flights operated by Sky Regional Airlines, Inc., which flies between Montreal and Toronto City Airport at Toronto Island, operate under the Air Canada Express name with the new livery on its fleet of five Q400 aircraft. Three other regional airlines that operate flights on Air Canada's behalf - Central Mountain Air, Air Georgian and EVAS - will begin to use the Air Canada Express name and livery in the near future.

About Air Canada

Air Canada received top honours in Business Traveler magazine's Best in Business Travel 2010 annual reader survey, winning five awards: Best Flight Attendants in North America, Best In-flight Services in North America, Best North America Airline for Business Class Service, Best North American Airline for International Travel, and Best Airline Web Site. Readers of Global Traveler magazine voted Air Canada Best Airline in North America, for the sixth consecutive

year in their 2010 reader survey. Air Canada was named Best Airline North America in a worldwide survey of more than 17 million air travelers conducted by independent research firm Skytrax for its 2010 World Airline Awards.

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international full-service airline providing scheduled and charter air transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 175 destinations on five continents.  Canada's flag carrier is the 15th largest commercial airline in the world and serves 33 million customers annually. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 59 Canadian cities, 59 destinations in the United States and 60 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 1,160 destinations in 181 countries.  Air Canada customers can collect Aeroplan miles for future rewards through Canada's leading loyalty program, and Top Tier members enjoy reciprocal frequent flyer benefits including lounge and priority services.  For more information on Air Canada visit aircanada.com and follow @AirCanada on Twitter and Facebook.