By Gurmukh Singh
Toronto, Oct 1 (IANS): Air Canada on Thursday officially announced four weekly non-stop flights between Toronto and New Delhi starting November 1, terming it "the best deal for passengers".
With this new flight, Air Canada becomes the first airline to operate 787-9 Dreamliner from North America.
Making this announcement here amid Bollywood songs and dances, Air Canada vice president Duncan Bureau said that despite the huge volume of traffic between India and Canada, Air Canada stopped its flights to New Delhi via Europe in 2007 because they were not profitable.
"But the very efficient new Boeing Dreamliner has changed the economics of flying to India. This non-stop flight will be a big success. There has been a huge response to this flight," he said at the launch event here.
Speaking to IANS, Air Canada's Indian-origin vice president (commercial) Vijay Bathija said: "This first non-stop flight between Canada and India will be the best deal for passengers.
"First, they save up to six hours. Second, the cost per unit is lower. Our much more comfortable economy class costs between $1,100 and $1,300. The business class comes between $2,000 and $3,000, but with cushy 'super diamond' seats. The benefits for passengers are unbeatable. It is the best deal."
"Since 2007, when Air Canada stopped flying to India, the traffic between India and Canada has grown and matured because there are now various kinds of traffic -- more business class and first-class traffic.
"Then there is the fuel efficient Dreamliner which also offers 8 percent more oxygen to passengers and you won't be tired when you land in Delhi. We are at the right time with the right aircraft and the right traffic," Bathija said.
With Toronto airport becoming the major international hub, he said: "Passengers flying from India will have connections to 60 destinations in the US and 50 in Canada."
Interestingly, Toronto -- the fourth biggest city in North America with the biggest concentration of the Indian diaspora anywhere in the world, is not served by Air India.
India's national carrier stopped its flights from Toronto in 2012, citing financial losses even when Jet Airways is running its flights via Brussels.