Air Canada named favourite carrier by Canadian travel agents

MONTREAL, June 27 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada has been chosen the favourite scheduled airline of Canada's travel agents in the Eighth Annual Agents' Choice Awards for the Canadian travel industry.

"Air Canada is honoured to have been named the favourite carrier by Canada's travel agents. We view travel agents as very important partners in our business and we are pleased that they similarly value our relationship," said Marc Rosenberg, Vice President Sales and Product Distribution at Air Canada. "It is especially gratifying that the award comes at a time when our business model is undergoing rapid change. We are very focused on ensuring that travel agents across Canada and the U.S. have access to our new products and can respond to customers' needs."

The 2007 Agents' Choice Awards for the Canadian travel industry are based on a readers' survey for Baxter Travel Media, publisher of Canadian Travel Press and Travel Courier, and is the largest sampling of travel agent and industry opinion in Canada. The findings are based on 4,032 votes in 19 different categories ranging from favourite airport to favourite tour operator. The survey was conducted through fax and online ballots over a 10-week period ending March 31, 2007.

Air Canada's achievements have been honoured recently by consumers and the industry. This year, Washington D.C.-based Air Transport World, gave Air Canada Air Transport World's Market Leadership Award based on the airline's success in implementing an innovative and transparent pricing structure, its use of online technology to meet consumers' needs and its fleet-wide renewal with a consistent, market-leading onboard product among North American airlines. Air Canada was also voted 'Best Airline in North America' and 'Best Airline in Canada' by readers of the U.S. frequent flyer magazine, Global Traveler, and the carrier was voted 'Best Business Class to Canada' by the readers of Business Traveler magazine. In addition, Air Canada President and CEO, Montie Brewer, was named one of the 25 most influential executives of 2006 by Business Travel News.

Montreal-based Air Canada provides scheduled and charter air transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 170 destinations on five continents. Canada's flag carrier is the 14th largest commercial airline in the world and serves 34 million customers annually with a fleet consisting of 335 aircraft. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, providing the world's most comprehensive air transportation network.

Toronto-based Baxter Travel Media is Canada's largest travel trade publishing company, producing such titles as Canadian Travel Press, and Travel Courier and the PressToday (www.travelpress.com) web site, as well as the consumer web site www.TravelBestBuys.com.

For further information: Isabelle Arthur, (514) 422-5788; Peter Fitzpatrick, (416) 263-5576; Angela Mah, (604) 270-5741; Internet: aircanada.com