Air Canada will launch new routes and add extra capacity to several destinations in Asia next year, as part of a major expansion in the region.
In its summer 2013 schedules, announced yesterday, the national carrier will commence a new direct service between Toronto and Seoul, as well as adding seven weekly departures to Beijing and upgrading its Calgary-Tokyo Narita route.
“Air Canada is seizing the opportunities of the Pacific Century with the most far-reaching international expansion of its schedule in its 75-year history,” said Ben Smith, Air Canada’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “Our new routes embrace the world from Istanbul to Seoul and deepen our already extensive Asian service. With our Asia expansion alone, we will be flying 11 daily departures or more than 43,000 seats a week across the Pacific Ocean this summer – a commitment of up to 14 wide-body aircraft valued in excess of US$2 billion.”
Launching on 2 June 2013, the new Toronto-Seoul service will operate three times a week using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. It will complement the airline’s existing Vancouver-Seoul service, meaning that Air Canada will provide daily flights to Seoul from the two Canadian hubs.
Also commencing in June will be an additional three weekly departures between Toronto and Beijing, taking the total route frequency to 10 flights per week. The flights will also be operated with a B777-300ER aircraft. Four extra weekly flights will also be added to the Vancouver-Beijing route, for a total of 11 weekly departures, including a new late night flight. These flights will be operated with a B767-300ER aircraft.
On the Calgary-Tokyo Narita route, Air Canada will add two extra weekly flights in May next year, taking the total route frequency to daily. The flights will also be operated with a B767-300ER.
Air Canada will also launch a new service between Toronto and Istanbul next year, flying three times a week using a B767-300ER.
