Air Canada adding service to New Orleans in ongoing expansion of transborder flying from Toronto hub

Eight new routes to the U.S. from Toronto announced in 2010

TORONTO, July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Air Canada today announced it will begin daily, non-stop service between Toronto and New Orleans starting October 30, 2010. The new route will be operated with a 75-seat, Jazz CRJ 705 aircraft featuring Executive and Economy class service and seatback, personal audio-visual entertainment throughout the aircraft.

"Air Canada is very pleased to offer customers service between Toronto and New Orleans, the eighth new route from Toronto to the U.S. we will launch this year. New Orleans was recently voted one of the top ten cities to visit in the U.S. and Canada by the well-respected Travel + Leisure magazine and there are also important business connections between New Orleans and Canada. Customers will enjoy the choice of two classes of service, the opportunity to collect and redeem Aeroplan miles, and for those who are eligible lounge access and concierge service," said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "This route further enhances our Toronto hub at Lester B. Pearson International Airport where our operations are centralized in a single terminal with streamlined customs procedures, making it an extremely convenient gateway to and from the U.S. and an ideal transfer point for domestic, transborder and international travelers connecting to our extensive global network."

Beginning October 30, 2010, Air Canada will begin the only non-stop, daily service between Toronto and New Orleans. Flight AC7971 will depart Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport at 9:50 and arrive at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at 12 noon. Flight AC7972 will depart New Orleans at 12:35 and arrive in Toronto at 16:20.

"There is a special relationship between Canadian travelers and New Orleans, making Canada our number one international market," said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. "With the return of Air Canada, we will see this relationship strengthen and grow. We are grateful for this partnership, and we look forward to welcoming additional Canadian travelers to experience the rich culture and history of New Orleans."

"It's great to see the continued growth and expansion of Air Canada's service at its Toronto hub," said Pamela Griffith-Jones, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer for the GTAA. "This new service reinforces the attractiveness of the Toronto market and once again brings more choice to passengers travelling through Toronto Pearson."

Already this year, Air Canada has launched new daily service between Toronto and seven American cities including: Orange County (Santa Ana) and San Diego, California; Portland, Oregon; Memphis, Tennessee; Cincinnati, Ohio; Portland, Maine; and Syracuse, New York. Flights are non-stop and conveniently timed for connections with flights on Air Canada's extensive domestic and international network. Customers can earn and redeem Aeroplan miles on each route.

Air Canada has also added four new international destinations from Toronto with the launch this summer of flights to Athens and Barcelona, non-stop flights to Copenhagen, and same-plane year-round service to Brussels via Montreal.

Air Canada offers up to 141 scheduled flights each day to 53 U.S. destinations from its hub in Toronto. In total, this summer Air Canada will operate up to 230 flights per day from six points in Canada and 58 destinations in the U.S. In addition, this summer Air Canada is also serving 30 domestic and 45 international destinations from Toronto.

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 also won four top honours in Business Traveler magazine's "Best in Business Travel" 2009 annual reader survey: "Best Flight Attendants in North America," "Best In-flight Services in North America," "Best North America Airline for Business Class Service," and "Best North American Airline for International Travel." In 2009 as well, the readers of Global Travel magazine voted Air Canada "Best Airline in Canada" and "Best Airline in North America."

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 170 destinations on five continents. Canada's flag carrier is the 15th largest commercial airline in the world and serves 31 million customers annually. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 59 destinations in Canada, with New Orleans 59 in the United States and 60 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 1,167 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.

SOURCE AIR CANADA