Vetster and Air Canada celebrate new partnership for on the go pet care.

Vetster, the world's fastest-growing veterinary telehealth and pet care marketplace, this week announced its partnership with Air Canada to provide around-the-clock access to Vetster’s virtual veterinary services for pets travelling in cargo. Vetster aims to set a new standard for quality care, safety and peace of mind for millions of travelling pet parents.

Trained Air Canada personnel can now use Vetster on behalf of pet parents to connect with licensed veterinarians, who can support pets travelling in cargo and in need of medical assistance. Following the trip, pets’ medical files are sent to the parent’s local vet, underscoring the companies’ shared commitment to continuous, transparent communication and care – whether on the ground or in the air.

At no additional costs, specially trained staff can connect with Vetster’s expert veterinarians to help mitigate both common and uncommon pet travel issues, including heightened anxiety and stress, dehydration, respiratory issues, motion sickness, and more.

“Air Canada is committed to offering safe and reliable transportation for all animals in our care,” said Janet Wallace, Managing Director, Operational Excellence and Transformation at Air Canada Cargo. “As one of the only airlines to partner with a pet telehealth company, we are significantly enhancing the experience for passengers and their pets, providing care and comfort throughout their travels.”

Air Canada offers air-to-rail deals to explore Europe

Providing convenient intermodal airport connections to France's SNCF Voyageurs, Germany's Deutsche Bahn, Swiss Federal Railways in Switzerland, or ÖBB in Austria when booking flights

The launch of the new intermodal offering puts thousands of exciting destinations within easy reach

Rail travel offers sustainable options to major European destinations

Leading Canadian legacy carrier, Air Canada has announced new air-to-rail booking options for customers to connect at European airports with four major passenger rail systems, making it convenient to explore the continent. Through new railway and distribution partnerships, Air Canada customers, when purchasing flights, can now also easily book onward rail trips to a multitude of destinations throughout France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria to create a seamless travel itinerary.

"As a leading global airline, Air Canada excels at flying, but we also know intermodal connections can enrich the travel experience through added convenience and by promoting sustainability. In offering easy onward airport connections with the national rail systems in France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, we are creating intermodal hubs and opening the door for customers to reach stations at major cities and popular destinations throughout these countries. Moreover, by facilitating the use of rail for the short-haul segments of our customers' journeys, we can provide sustainable travel options when touring Europe," said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President, Revenue and Network Planning, at Air Canada.

With the launch of Air Canada's European intermodal initiative, customers can now, while purchasing an Air Canada flight, at the same time book rail travel from European airports. Through the airline's partnership with Lufthansa Express Rail Product and new collaborations with AccesRail & WorldTicket, customers can use a streamlined booking process to create a seamless travel itinerary that connects their flight with trips on trains operated by France's TGV-SNCF Voyageurs, Germany's Deutsche Bahn, Swiss Federal Railways or ÖBB, the national railway of Austria.

Air Canada announces tie-up with European rail firms.

Providing convenient intermodal airport connections to France's SNCF Voyageurs, Germany's Deutsche Bahn, Swiss Federal Railways in Switzerland, or ÖBB in Austria when booking flights

The launch of the new intermodal offering puts thousands of exciting destinations within easy reach

Rail travel offers sustainable options to major European destinations

Leading Canadian legacy carrier, Air Canada has announced new air-to-rail booking options for customers to connect at European airports with four major passenger rail systems, making it convenient to explore the continent. Through new railway and distribution partnerships, Air Canada customers, when purchasing flights, can now also easily book onward rail trips to a multitude of destinations throughout France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria to create a seamless travel itinerary.

"As a leading global airline, Air Canada excels at flying, but we also know intermodal connections can enrich the travel experience through added convenience and by promoting sustainability. In offering easy onward airport connections with the national rail systems in France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, we are creating intermodal hubs and opening the door for customers to reach stations at major cities and popular destinations throughout these countries. Moreover, by facilitating the use of rail for the short-haul segments of our customers' journeys, we can provide sustainable travel options when touring Europe," said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President, Revenue and Network Planning, at Air Canada.

With the launch of Air Canada's European intermodal initiative, customers can now, while purchasing an Air Canada flight, at the same time book rail travel from European airports. Through the airline's partnership with Lufthansa Express Rail Product and new collaborations with AccesRail & WorldTicket, customers can use a streamlined booking process to create a seamless travel itinerary that connects their flight with trips on trains operated by France's TGV-SNCF Voyageurs, Germany's Deutsche Bahn, Swiss Federal Railways or ÖBB, the national railway of Austria.

Airbus' carbon removal initiative gets first North American airline sign up from Air Canada

Airbus announced a contract was signed with Air Canada for the aeroplane manufacturer's carbon-removal initiative. Air Canada is the first North American airline to sign up for The Airbus Carbon Capture Offer, which uses Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) technology to offer airlines worldwide carbon removal credits to advance their decarbonisation goals.

Airbus' partner 1PointFive will issue the carbon removal credits. Airbus' agreement with 1PointFive includes the pre-purchase of 400,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits to be delivered over four years. Air Canada's credits will last from 2026 to 2029.

DACCS technology filters and removes CO2 emissions directly from the air using high-powered extraction fans. Once removed from the air, the CO2 is stored in underground reservoirs. CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere during aircraft operations cannot be directly eliminated at the source, but with DACCS, an equivalent amount can be extracted from the air.

Air Canada Customers Can Now Track their Baggage and Mobility Aids while Travelling in Canada

 Air Canada today introduced a new feature to the Air Canada mobile app to enable customers travelling within Canada to track the progress of their baggage and mobility aid in real time at key points as it moves with them throughout their journey. The new tracking feature is designed to provide travellers with added confidence and improve the overall customer experience through greater convenience.

"At Air Canada, we know that apart from a safe, comfortable journey, the prompt delivery of baggage and mobility aids is a top priority for our customers. We already achieve a very high reliability rate, but to further elevate our service we are introducing a new tracking feature in the Air Canada mobile app to give customers real-time information, greater certainty about the movement of their belongings during their trip, and heightened convenience," said Tom Stevens, Vice President, Customer Experience and Operations Strategy at Air Canada.

Using the Air Canada mobile app, customers can now track their baggage and mobility aid as it travels with them on domestic flights, based on the same tag scanning information that Air Canada employees use at each stage to handle these items. Initially available to customers travelling within Canada during final development, the tracking feature will be expanded to the airline's U.S. flights next year and, over time, select international destinations.

• Air Canada mobile app users will be able to track the progress of their checked items at key points from check-in, through the airport handling processes, on to the aircraft and through connections and arrival, providing reassurance every step of the way.
• For customers required to check mobility aids, they will be able to track the movement of their aid, including to confirm, under Air Canada's enhanced accessibility protocols, that it is securely loaded before the aircraft departs.

Air Canada earns outstanding commitment honours and sector distinction award at employment equity achievement awards

        Air Canada is honoured to have been presented the Outstanding Commitment to Employment Equity award and the Sector Distinction award by The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Federal Minister of Labour and Seniors, as part of the Employment Equity Achievement Awards announced recently. 

"Air Canada is proud to be a leading employer in Canada and a role model in the aviation sector for its advancement in the workplace of women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities. We are honoured to be recognized with these awards, which reflect our strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion across all sectors of our airline," said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs at Air Canada.

This is the fifth year that the awards are presented, and this year marks the second time that Air Canada has been recognized.

For 2023, Air Canada received the following two honours:

The Outstanding Commitment to Employment Equity award, recognizing Air Canada's holistic strategy premised on the CARE approach encompassing Community outreach; Accountability; Representation; Engagement and Belonging. Air Canada's commitment to employment equity addresses all facets where the company can support DEI across the organization, to its customers and in the communities it operates in. The award also recognizes Air Canada's commitment to the BlackNorth Initiative CEO Pledge, its commitment to the International Air Transportation Association's 25 by 2025 initiative, and Air Canada's contribution to the Indspire scholarship program that supports Indigenous students enrolled in post-secondary aviation and aerospace engineering programs.

Canadiens Announce Air Canada as Official Road Jersey Partner

 Multi-year deal part of NHL’s Jersey Advertising Program

The Montreal Canadiens and Air Canada have announced a multi-year jersey partnership agreement, which will see the Air Canada logo featured on Canadiens away jerseys worn on the road throughout the duration of the partnership, starting today. The news deepens a 40-plus year partnership between two brands with one common heritage in Montreal.

“It’s a privilege for us to have a longstanding relationship with Canada’s national carrier in Air Canada, and we’re proud to formalize a partnership that will showcase Air Canada’s brand whenever we play on the road,” said France Margaret Belanger, President of Sports and Entertainment, Groupe CH. “We entrust Air Canada to move our players from city to city, and now that connection will be featured on the ice itself, as our team plays before our fans in NHL markets everywhere.”

“As the Official Airline of the Montreal Canadiens, Air Canada is deeply passionate about our relationship with the organization and its devoted fans throughout Quebec and across North America,” said Mark Nasr, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital at Air Canada, and President of Aeroplan. “As hockey lovers ourselves, it’s a privilege to fly the team across the continent and proudly represent our support and partnership on and off the ice.”

Air Canada to add capacity to Asia in December

Canada's leading international airline, Air Canada has confirmed this week that it will be boosting its Asia-Pacific network capacity from mid-December to the end of next summer 2024 as demand increases rapidly. 

"Air Canada's Asia services continue to reflect strong demand and we are boosting capacity to this geographic area as we deploy our international diversification strategy. This winter we are pleased to offer up to 57 flights per week between Canada and Asia, and up to 64 flights per week next summer. Air Canada will have up to double daily flights to Hong Kong and larger aircraft operating to Shanghai during the December holiday and Lunar New Year travel periods. Capacity to Japan increases by 96% this winter compared to last year. Next spring, seasonal Osaka flights resume earlier and larger aircraft will operate to Narita and Seoul," said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President of revenue and Network Planning, at Air Canada.

"Our upcoming launch of our new route to Singapore and increased capacity on our successful Bangkok route underscores our continued commitment to investing in fast-growing markets in Southeast Asia. With the investments we have made at our global hub airports linking Air Canada's extensive North American network to our international flights, travelling between North America and Asia is convenient and compelling for leisure and business travellers alike. We look forward to welcoming customers onboard our flights," concluded Mr. Galardo.

Route	Service Improvements
Vancouver-Hong Kong	11 weekly flights Dec 13 - Feb 29, 2024 to support holiday and Lunar New Year travel 10 week flights Mar 1 - Oct 26, 2024
Vancouver-Bangkok	Extended winter seasonal service, from Dec. 1 - May 5, 2024 4 weekly flights increased to daily from Jan 8 - Feb. 28, 2024 winter peak
Vancouver-Shanghai	4 weekly flights Dec 1 – Mar 30, 2024 upgauged to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for holiday and Lunar New Year travel 4 weekly flights operate with Boeing 787-9 all other times
Vancouver-Singapore	4 weekly flights launch Apr. 3, 2024
Vancouver-Osaka	Seasonal flights begin earlier on May 1, 2024, three times weekly Increases to four weekly flights beginning June 17, 2024
Vancouver-Narita	Daily flights upgauged to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft until April 30, 2024 Daily flights operated with Boeing 787-9 all other times
Montreal-Narita	Daily flights upgauged to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for full summer season
Toronto-Narita	Daily flights upgauged to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for full summer season
Toronto-Haneda	Daily flights upgauged to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for full winter season Daily flights operate with Boeing 787-9 all other times
Vancouver-Seoul	Daily flights upgauged to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for full summer Daily flights operate with Boeing 787-9 all other times
Toronto-Seoul	Daily flights operate with Boeing 787-9 year-round

Air Canada's international services

Final Air Canada and Dreams Take Flight of 2023 departs Ottawa giving kids the trip-of-a-lifetime

First Dreams Take Flight from Ottawa since 2019

Last of eight flights of 2023 from across Canada

Every year, Air Canada and Dreams Take Flight take children facing different challenges on the trip-of-a-lifetime

This morning, for the first time since 2019, Air Canada and Dreams Take Flight departed Ottawa for Orlando with 145 children on board to experience the trip-of-a-lifetime. With the help of Air Canada employee volunteers, support of the Air Canada Foundation, and the work by the Dreams Take Flight organization, eight flights operate annually, providing over 1,000 children each year with an unforgettable day at a theme park in Florida or California.

Accompanied by a crew of current and retired Air Canada employee volunteers, the flight took off in the early hours of the morning taking kids facing mental, physical, emotional or social adversity to a theme park in Florida. By generously donating their time, pilots, flight attendants, maintenance engineers, and numerous other employees and volunteers on the ground and behind the scenes offer these children the chance to take a break from their everyday to make memories and discover new possibilities. 

"The children on our flights come from various difficult backgrounds. Some have experienced many doctor's appointments, hospital visits, deaths of family members, in and out of foster homes, and looking after their siblings, just to name a few. While they get to experience a day at the most magical place on earth with Dreams Take Flight Ottawa, it allows them to be a kid for the day. They often start the day shy and full of worries. While at the park, the volunteers see them blossom. We see them smile as they meet their favourite characters, laugh at the thrill of a rollercoaster ride, experience what Disney does best, creating magical memories that will last a lifetime. For volunteers, seeing the change in these kids is why many of our volunteers return each year. It's to give the kids exactly what they deserve. A day to get away to have fun and leave all their worries behind them," said Angela Guy, President of Dreams Take Flight Ottawa.

The Dreams Take Flight Ottawa Flight Day was the last of 2023. Dreams Take Flight also sees trips take place from Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

Air Canada working to improve experience for passengers with disabilities

 

                        Air Canada has announced a series of measures to reduce barriers and make travel simpler, more comfortable and consistently reliable for customers with disabilities. The actions being taken will accelerate Air Canada's Accessibility Plan 2023-26, a three-year strategy released in June, and are intended to reduce or eliminate major sources of dissatisfaction and trip disruption for customers with disabilities.

"Air Canada recognizes the challenges customers with disabilities encounter when they fly and accepts its responsibility to provide convenient and consistent service so that flying with us becomes easier. Sometimes we do not meet this commitment, for which we offer a sincere apology. As our customers with disabilities tell us, the most important thing is that we continuously improve in the future. We are listening to them and today we are committing to do better and demonstrating that commitment with concrete actions," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.

"In June, we released our three-year accessibility plan. The measures we are announcing today accelerate key components in that plan. This includes improving boarding and seating, better customer communications, new processes to prevent delays or damage to mobility devices, more training and an investment in equipment such as lifts. We also intend to implement further measures as we strive to make Air Canada accessible for people managing disabilities," said Craig Landry, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at Air Canada.

Air Canada is acting to make travel easier and more comfortable for customers with disabilities. This will include working with the airline's regional partners to ensure consistency. The following measures, which are fully in line with the airline's new, three-year Accessibility Plan, are being implemented now to have effect and produce benefits more immediately. The initiatives include:

Immediate Measures

Boarding: Customers at the gate who request lift assistance will be consistently boarded first before all other customers and proactively seated at the front of the cabin they booked. Air Canada is investing significantly in new equipment at Canadian airports, such as lifts, to ensure that we can meet the expectations of our customers.

Storage of mobility aids: Mobility aids will be stored in the aircraft cabin when possible. When mobility aids are stored in the cargo hold, new systems are being put in place to track them in transit, including a process to confirm mobility aids are properly loaded before departure. Customers travelling within Canada will be able to track the journey of their mobility aid using the Air Canada app.  In addition, the airline is adopting new processes to load mobility aids in the aircraft holds to ensure our customers' mobility aids arrive safely.

Training: Enhanced training will be supplied to improve all aspects of employee interactions with customers with disabilities, including understanding customer experiences in air travel. Air Canada's approximately 10,000 airport employees will receive this training as part of a new annual, recurrent training program. This will consist of both soft skill and equipment training, such as lifting techniques. Customers with disabilities will be invited to make presentations at employee workshops and provide advice on further process developments.

Responsibility: Air Canada has created the new senior position of Director, Customer Accessibility. She will lead a team to manage implementation of the company's accessibility plan as well as provide a resource and common reference point for responsive management of disability issues.

Evolving Expectations

Due to advances in technology and customer needs, there has been a welcome and continual increase in travel demand from people with disabilities. Along with this, societal expectations are also evolving. Companies must constantly review and improve their accessibility capabilities to keep them in line with current advancements. Air Canada embraces this. In June, the airline finalized a three-year plan to increase accessibility for customers and employees called Air Canada's Accessibility Plan 2023-26. It also fully supports the Government of Canada's Accessible Canada Act and its aim to realize a barrier-free Canada by 2040.

Air Canada’s Accessibility Plan

Air Canada Joins Forces with Dreams Take Flight Calgary to Create Unforgettable Experiences for Children

Air Canada and Dreams Take Flight are once again joining forces to create an unforgettable experience. This year, we will be taking over 120 children on a once-in-a-lifetime journey from Calgary to a theme park in California, all thanks to the generous support of many Air Canada employee volunteers and the Air Canada Foundation. Dreams Take Flight, since its inception in 1989, has provided over 30,000 Canadian children with special needs the opportunity to experience a unique flight. This is the 30th year Dreams Take Flight Calgary has taken place.

The group of children were accompanied by a team of volunteers, both active and retired employees of Air Canada, who were committed to creating a magical journey for all on board. This team, comprised of pilots, flight attendants, maintenance engineers, and many other ground and behind-the-scenes staff, selflessly gave their time to provide an opportunity for children dealing with mental, physical, or social hardships. They offered these children a chance to escape their daily struggles, create lasting memories, and discover new possibilities.

"We sometimes wonder what happens once the children return home, what happens to their future, and if we make a difference. Victoria, an 8-year-old on our flight in 2001, said that she and her sister came from a world of black and white," said Julien DeSchutter Vice-President of Dreams Take Flight Calgary. "They were living with exposure to drug abuse, alcoholism, and emotional abuse, always trying to find a way to paint their world with colour. Throughout their special day with our volunteers, they started to see that there were so many opportunities in the world. They learned of hope and believed in more than just magic. Victoria explains that shortly after returning home, the colour started to fade, but despite the many challenges she painted her future in vibrant colours. This year, Victoria joins our team of volunteers, adding colour to the world of the 120 kids on our flight."

Annually, 1,700 kids embark on an unforgettable journey to a theme park located in either Florida or California. This year, two more flights are scheduled from Montreal, and Ottawa. Earlier in the year, flights from Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver took place under the Dreams initiative.

Air Canada Becomes First Airline Globally to Offer Disney+ Originals Onboard

Continuing collaboration with one of the world's most recognized brand marks airline's latest investment in its award-winning customer experience

Builds on airline's previous Disney collaborations including the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida themed inflight safety video and Disney-Pixar's Turning Red special livery

Select episodes of Disney+ Original series including Star Wars spin-off "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and Marvel Studios' "Loki" Season 1 available on all IFE-enabled aircraft

This week Air Canada became the first airline globally to bring Disney+ Originals to the skies through its in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. The airline's latest collaboration with Disney, an internationally recognized brand, offers customers even more opportunities to enjoy original programming for all ages while onboard. It also marks Air Canada's most recent investment in its family-focused travel experience, adding critically acclaimed and exclusive Disney+ Originals such as the first three episodes of Loki Season 1 and Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

Air Canada today became the first airline globally to bring Disney+ Originals to the skies through its in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. (CNW Group/Air Canada)

"We are thrilled to bring Disney+ Original series and films to our inflight entertainment, further solidifying our expansive range of leading content. Families with kids and enthusiasts alike will enjoy watching familiar favourites and exciting new Originals from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and more. Taking in a Disney+ Original is a great way for our global customers to start or end their journey with us," said John Moody, Managing Director, Product Design at Air Canada. 

Beginning this month, customers will be able to enjoy a selection of episodes from beloved Disney+ Original series that include Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, Cars on the Road and Zootopia+, as well as Original movies such as Disenchanted and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Recent other family-focused Air Canada collaborations with Disney have included the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida themed in-flight safety video launched for the summer travel period, a special Walt Disney World Resort in Florida themed children's room at Toronto Pearson's Transborder Maple Leaf Lounge, and a special aircraft livery celebrating the launch of Disney and Pixar's acclaimed movie Turning Red, with more to come.

This year, Air Canada was named by Skytrax as the world's most family friendly airline at the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards, Best Family-Friendly Airline in North America for the fifth consecutive year and Best Family-Friendly International Airline for the fourth consecutive year at the Wherever Awards.

Air Canada was also recognized by Global Traveler as Best Airline for Onboard Entertainment for the fifth consecutive year, and by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) with the Passenger Choice Award for Best Entertainment in North America, earlier this year. With 420+ movies, 1,000+ TV episodes, 130+ music albums, podcasts and more, customers can enjoy the best programming from boarding to landing. All content onboard Air Canada's inflight entertainment equipped aircraft is complimentary for all customers.

Air Canada Expands Presence in Scandinavia with New Flights to Stockholm Launching Summer 2024

Air Canada has announced the strategic expansion of its presence in Scandinavia with new summer seasonal flights to Stockholm. Three weekly flights from Montreal and two weekly flights from Toronto will begin June 12, 2024. The airline will also be increasing capacity on its year-round Copenhagen flights from Toronto with daily flights beginning May 1, 2024 until Oct. 31, and will resume seasonal flights from Montreal earlier on May 2, 2024, increasing up to five weekly flights in June. Seats are available for purchase now at aircanada.com, via the Air Canada App, Air Canada's Contact Centres, and travel agents.

"We continue our strategy of building international scale at our Toronto and Montreal global hubs and we are very pleased to deepen Air Canada's longstanding presence in Northern Europe with the addition of flights to Stockholm. Toronto and Montreal are the third and fourth largest trans-Atlantic gateways, and we continue strengthening our hubs' reach with our increased services to Scandinavia," said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President, Revenue and Network Planning at Air Canada.

"Toronto and Montreal have been strategically developed to facilitate convenient connections throughout Air Canada's extensive North American network and, with non-stop Dreamliner flights to Stockholm, we offer customers choice and ease while travelling between North America and Sweden's capital city for business development, tourism, or visiting friends and family. Together with our added capacity to Copenhagen, we will operate up to 17 weekly flights this summer from Toronto and Montreal to Stockholm and Copenhagen. We look forward to welcoming customers onboard our flights," concluded Mr. Galardo.

Air Canada first launched service to Scandinavia in 2010 with flights from Toronto to Copenhagen. In 2023, the airline expanded its presence in Copenhagen with the addition of new flights from Montreal to Copenhagen.

Air Canada plans to operate 100 per cent of its peak summer 2019 trans-Atlantic capacity next year, taking full advantage of the robust recovery in its largest international market.

New Stockholm route* details:

Flight	Origin	Departs	Destination	Arrives	Days Operating	Begins
AC802	Montreal (YUL)	18:00	Stockholm (ARN)	7:05 (+1 day)	Tue, Fri, Sun	June 14, 2024
AC803	Stockholm (ARN)	12:15	Montreal (YUL)	14:05	Mon, Wed, Sat	June 15, 2024
AC902	Toronto (YYZ)	20:30	Stockholm (ARN)	10:05 (+1 day)	Wed, Sat	June 12, 2024
AC903	Stockholm (ARN)	12:15	Toronto (YYZ)	14:35	Thur, Sun	June 13, 2024

Air Canada and CAE celebrate 5th anniversary of the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship.....

Air Canada and CAE, two Montreal-based global aviation companies, today marked the fifth anniversary of the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship and announced that applications for the 2024 edition of the Scholarship are now open.

Up to eight young Canadian women studying to become commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers will be awarded scholarships to pursue their training in 2024. Of the eight, four recipients training to be commercial pilots will join the CAE Women in Flight program as ambassadors.

"As this scholarship goes into its fifth year, it is incredibly gratifying to see the accomplishments of previous recipients. These young women have realized their dreams and are soaring high in all regions of Canada. From the cockpit of a 737 to a flight instructor job, these scholarship recipients are wonderful role models. I am so proud of Air Canada and CAE's support for Canadian women in aviation," said Judy Cameron, Boeing 777 Captain at Air Canada (retired), and Director, Northern Lights Aero Foundation.

"It makes me, and everyone at Air Canada, extremely proud to see the success of many of our past recipients of the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship. Already, some have achieved their goals of becoming commercial pilots or Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and I look forward to seeing their careers progress. And the future is bright not only for them, but the next group of recipients as we celebrate the fifth anniversary of this wonderful scholarship named after Air Canada's first female pilot. Congratulations to all," said Murray Strom, Senior Vice President, Flight Operations and Maintenance at Air Canada.

Aeroplan earns top honours with Canada's Choice 2023 Travel Loyalty Awards

 

                                     Air Canada's Aeroplan Loyalty program had another strong showing in the RewardsCanada.ca Canada's Choice 2023 Awards, with Aeroplan and its credit card partners taking home top honours in four categories, including for Top Airline Loyalty Program once again. A record turnout of loyalty members across Canada took to voting for the top loyalty programs and credit cards in Canada.

"Bringing these Canada's Choice awards home reflects Aeroplan's commitment to becoming Canada's favourite travel rewards program and having Canada's best travel rewards credit cards. We proudly share this recognition with our employees, our partners and our 8 million plus active Aeroplan members in Canada and around the world," said Scott O'Leary, Vice President, Loyalty and Product at Air Canada.  

In the Canada's Choice 2023 competition, Aeroplan and its partners won in the following categories:

Top Airline Loyalty Program (Aeroplan) 

Top Overall Travel Rewards Credit Card (TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card)

Top Airline Credit Card (TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card)

Top Ultra Premium Credit Card (TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card)

"The results of this year's voting demonstrate the prowess that the large loyalty programs and credit card issuers have," said Patrick Sojka, Founder of Rewards Canada, "It's been the strongest year yet with more than 82,000 people voting for their favourite programs, almost four times the number of votes in 2022."

Aeroplan continues to roll out new ways to earn rewards and to work with partners to unlock exclusive benefits that make it a must-have travel companion whether you travel a little or a lot.

In addition, Aeroplan Credit Cardholders earn rewards fast, with points adding up for every dollar spent, with exclusive benefits that include preferred pricing on Air Canada flight rewards among other benefits.

Since relaunching in 2020, Aeroplan has continued to deliver world-class partnerships for its members. On top of its industry-leading, 45+ airline partners for flight rewards, the program has expanded to retail partners like Starbucks and Ontario's LCBO, and additional travel partners like Uber to deliver excellent regular offers. It also recently launched HotelSavers, through which Aeroplan makes available over 7,000 points hotels around the world to choose from, giving members more ways than ever to redeem their Aeroplan points.

Air Canada resumes daily non-stop seasonal service between London Heathrow and Mumbai

Air Canada has resumed its daily non-stop seasonal service between London Heathrow Airport and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, operating until 29 March 2024 from London Heathrow. This route is part of Air Canada’s resumption of flights between Toronto and Mumbai via London Heathrow.  

Air Canada flights from London Heathrow to Mumbai will be operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, accommodating 298 passengers, with a choice of three classes of service: Economy, Premium Economy, and Air Canada Signature Class, which offers customers superior comfort and convenience in an exclusive cabin, with spacious lie-flat seating, personalized service, fine cuisine, extra baggage allowance and access to priority airport services. Seats are available for booking at aircanada.com, via the Air Canada App, Air Canada's Contact Centres and travel agencies.   

“We are delighted to resume our non-stop fifth freedom service between London Heathrow and India’s city of dreams, Mumbai,” said Stephen Gerrard, Air Canada General Manager Sales, U.K. and Ireland. “Mumbai is one of the top destinations worldwide, renowned for its historical monuments and rich culture. Our customers in the United Kingdom will benefit from more travel choice and convenience while travelling for business, leisure or visiting friends and family. We look forward to welcoming our customers on board.” 

In addition to the resumed service between London Heathrow and Mumbai, Air Canada offers non-stop year-round services from London Heathrow to Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary and Halifax and between Dublin and Toronto, as well as non-stop summer seasonal services from Edinburgh and Manchester to Toronto, and from Dublin to Vancouver and Montreal.   

For Summer 2024, Air Canada recently announced an increase to four daily services from London to Toronto, an increase to six weekly frequencies from Manchester to Toronto, as well as an earlier seasonal start for its Edinburgh to Toronto service on 1 March 2024, operating to January 2025.  

London – Mumbai Schedule 

 

Flight	From	Departure	To	Arrival	Frequency	End Date
AC 856	London	11:10	Mumbai	01:35 (+1)	Daily	29 March 2024
AC 855	Mumbai	04:25	London	09:20	Daily	29 March 2024