Air Canada spreads the love down under

Air Canada spreads the love down under
By Hannah Edensor


After much speculation, Air Canada has announced it will officially kick off a fresh Vancouver to Brisbane service.

Flights to Brisbane will initially operate three times weekly using Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners beginning June 17, 2016, with the intention to increase to a daily service, provided government approval is acquired.

“Air Canada continues to strategically expand its international network with the addition of our second Australian destination – Brisbane, capital of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia,” Air Canada’s president and ceo Calin Robinescu said.

“The new route increases our presence in the Asia-Pacific market at a time when trade and travel in the region and between North America is growing, with a further boost expected from the Trans-Pacific Partnership now under negotiation.”

“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.”

“We will be offering the only non-stop, year-round flights from Canada to Brisbane, a financial hub as well as a tourism gateway to Australia’s Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef, using our Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

Air Canada B787 Premium Economy

Air Canada B787 Premium Economy

“The operating economics of the Dreamliner together with the efforts of the Vancouver Airport Authority who have maintained airport operating costs at levels among the lowest in Canada, have enabled us to grow our Vancouver hub.”

The Queensland Government Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones welcomed the new flights, saying it will bring the boost Brisbane has been waiting for.

“The Air Canada service represents the first direct flight between Queensland and Canada, and is expected to inject up to $24 million in visitor expenditure for Queensland’s economy per year and attract an extra 12,000 international visitors to Queensland each year,” Jones said.

“The new direct route better connects the state with the growing North American visitor market, which recorded a 9% growth in visitation in the year ending December 2014.”

“Growing aviation services to Queensland helps support the state’s tourism economy and creates jobs.”

Brisbane Airport Corporation’s ceo and md Julieanne Alroe also commented on the announcement, stating that the process of luring international airlines in is a competitive business.

AC_787 interior International Business Class

AC_787 interior International Business Class

“We’ve been in negotiations for the past two years working in partnership with Air Canada, Vancouver Airport, Tourism and Events Queensland and Tourism Australia and the announcement of this new direct service between Brisbane and Vancouver is an achievement worth celebrating,” she said.

“Canadian travellers are at an all-time high to Queensland and, with the strong corporate links between our state and Canada due to the resource sector.”

Tickets for Air Canada’s new Brisbane flights will be available for purchase starting July 16, 2015.

The three times weekly service will operate with the carrier’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, featuring 20 International Business Class lie-flat seat suites, 21 Premium Economy and 210 Economy Class seats.

All Air Canada flights provide for Aeroplan accumulation and redemption and, for eligible customers, priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounge access, priority boarding and other benefits.

Latest News