MONTREAL, Feb. 5, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - For the month of January, Air Canada reported a record system load factor of 79.4 per cent, versus 79.1 per cent in January 2012, an increase of 0.3 percentage points.  System traffic increased 0.3 per cent on a system-wide capacity decrease of 0.1 per cent. Air Canada reports traffic results on a system-wide basis, including regional airlines from which Air Canada purchases capacity.

"I am pleased to report a record load factor of 79.4 per cent for the month of January," said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer.  "Led by traffic increases in the Atlantic and domestic Canada markets of 3 and 2.1 per cent, respectively, Air Canada generated greater traffic of 0.3 per cent system wide on a capacity decrease of 0.1 per cent.  These results underscore the effectiveness of our disciplined capacity management and award-winning product.  I thank our employees whose focus on customers has been instrumental in earning their loyalty. Their professionalism has been recognized once again with Air Canada recently becoming the only international network carrier in North America to earn a Four-Star ranking by independent research firm Skytrax."

* Australia has been reclassified to "Pacific" from "Latin America, Caribbean & Other."

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 175 destinations on five continents.  Canada's flag carrier is the 15th largest commercial airline in the world and in 2012 served close to 35 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 59 Canadian cities, 56 destinations in the United States and 63 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America.  Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,329 destinations in 194 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 that ranked Air Canada in a worldwide survey of more than 18 million airline passengers as Best International Airline in North America in 2012 for the third consecutive year.

SOURCE: AIR CANADA