Beach bunnies will have an easier time hitting the Canadian ski slopes with the introduction of Air Canada’s first-ever non-stop flights between Vancouver and Brisbane.
Commencing 17 June next year, Air Canada will add Brisbane as its second Australian destination, with three times weekly flights to Vancouver on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Subject to regulatory approval, the airline hopes to eventually increase it to daily.
The new direct service will take out the stopover in Sydney, saving holidaymakers up to five hours when travelling between the two cities.
Tickets for the new route will be available for purchase from 16 July this year.
Passengers will have the option of flying in Air Canada’s 20 International Business Class lie-flat seat suites, 21 Premium Economy and 210 Economy Class seats.
Flight AC35 will depart from Vancouver at 11.45pm on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday to arrive in Brisbane at 7.15am.
The aircraft will then leave Brisbane at 10.40am on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday to arrive at Vancouver at 7.15am (local time).
According to Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, John O’Sullivan, the announcement couldn’t come at a better time as visitor numbers from Canada to Queensland reach new heights. Latest tourism figures show a 12 percent increase in Canadian arrivals last year compared to the prior year.
And with new visitors comes more money – the route is expected to inject up to $24 million in visitor expenditure into Queensland’s economy per year.
Meanwhile, for Air Canada the non-stop flight increases its presence in the Asia-Pacific market ‘at a time when trade and travel in the region and between North America is growing’.
“Already, Air Canada commits $2 billion worth of aircraft to the Pacific market each day and Brisbane is the third new Pacific route we have announced in the past year, after Toronto-Tokyo Haneda and Vancouver-Osaka.”
Calin Rovinescu, Air Canada President and CEO
The company’s Australia Sales Executive, Neil Ford, told agents at a Rail Plus and Rocky Mountaineer event this week that the airline is also planning to refit its Boeing 777 that are currently used on Australian services.
The aircraft will be refitted later this year to offer the same services as the new Dreamliner.
