By Ajit Jain
Toronto, Dec 5 (IANS): Air Canada will begin non-stop service from Toronto to Delhi, beginning in November 2015, the airline said in an official announcement Friday from Montreal.
The new route, the first to be dedicated from Air Canada's Boeing 787-9 series aircraft, will open opportunities in the Indian subcontinent, currently the largest international market not served by Air Canada.
International Trade Minister Ed Fast welcomed Air Canada's decision to resume its flights to Delhi. The flights were suspended, for no apparent reasons, in February 2007. Many Indo-Canadians were baffled as to how was it, when planes were invariably packed and India's economy red hot, that Air Canada decided to discontinue flying to any of the Indian cities.
"I welcome these new direct flights to India, an important partner for Canada. Facilitating transportation for Canadians, including business people, goes hand in hand with opening new markets around the world and creating jobs at home," said Fast.
The direct flights to India will help boost exports and business opportunities, enhance tourism linkages, and foster Canada's already strong people-to-people ties with India.
"The government is committed to helping the Canadian air industry increase its access to international markets. Opening markets in India and continuing to facilitate travel for Canada's Indian community, not only benefits our air sector and promotes increased trade, but travelers will now have more options to connect with friends and loved ones," said Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt.
"Air Canada's strategy to grow its Toronto Pearson hub and international presence is taking a major step forward with the addition of Delhi to our extensive global network," said Calin Rovinescu, president and chief executive officer of Air Canada.
"We will be offering the only non-stop flight from Canada to India using our newest Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are revolutionizing long-haul air travel. The operating economics of these new aircraft make this service feasible and it will be the first route dedicated to the larger, 787-9 version of this aircraft, which begin entering our fleet in 2015."
"This service will appeal both to customers visiting and doing business in Delhi, the capital region of India and the fourth most populous urban area of the world, and to those customers making onward connections within India and throughout Southeast Asia on our Star Alliance partner, Air India, or other interline partners," he said.
Air Canada direct service to India will operate four times a week beginning Nov 1, 2015.
Flights are timed for convenient connections both within Air Canada's North American network and in India on Air India or other interline partners to such cities as Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and other designations throughout Southeast Asia.