• Non-stop flights to Zurich and to Paris are Air Canada's fourth and fifth European destinations from carrier's YVR hub

VANCOUVER, June 7, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada today launched the first of two new international Boeing 787 Dreamliner routes to Europe with a celebration prior to the departure of the carrier's inaugural flight from Vancouver to Zurich.  Tomorrow, the airline will launch non-stop flights to Paris, marking five non-stop European routes from Air Canada's YVR hub.

"We are delighted to launch new non-stop flights from Vancouver to Zurich and to Paris, both onboard our state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The strategic addition of these seasonal international flights further strengthens our YVR hub which combined with our extensive North American network, provides excellent options for travelers from BC and the North American west coast to Europe, and as well as for European visitors and beyond to western Canada and the Pacific Northwest," said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada. 

"These new flights are great news for travelers and for tourism," said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. "As more Europeans choose to vacation in British Columbia, I'm pleased to see Air Canada creating options to meet that demand. Having more direct flights makes traveling to our beautiful province easier for people. This means more visits to B.C. and more jobs for British Columbians."

Air Canada's Boeing 787 Dreamliners feature three cabins of service with enhanced definition individual on-demand personal entertainment offering a wide range of movies, short films, TV programs and audio selections at every seat throughout the aircraft.

All flights provide for Aeroplan accumulation and redemption, and for eligible customers, priority services and access to Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounges.

From its YVR hub this summer, Air Canada offers up to 1,293 flights each week non-stop to eight destinations in Asia, three destinations in Australia, five destinations in Europe, 16 destinations in the USA, 22 destinations in Canada and two destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.

About Air Canada  
Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 220 airports on six continents.  Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2017 served more than 48 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 64 airports in Canada, 59 in the United States and 98 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,317 airports in 193 countries.  Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax, which also named Air Canada the 2017 Best Airline in North America.  Air Canada was also named the 2018 Eco-Airline of the Year by the respected airline industry publication Air Transport World in its 44th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards for its commitment to emissions reductions through supporting the development of alternative fuels, its numerous green programs and partnerships, and being the first airline worldwide to voluntarily join the World Bank's IMF Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition.

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SOURCE Air Canada