Air China and Air Canada Add Non-stop Services Between Beijing and Montreal

Air China and Air Canada are planning to launch non-stop services between Beijing and Montreal. This decision will create the first transpacific direct link between Asia and Montreal.

Air China will operate the flights beginning September 29, 2015, initially three times weekly aboard a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with Air Canada being a codeshare partner in a first phase.

Pending requisite approvals by the relevant competition authorities, in the second phase, Air Canada and Air China want to arrange a comprehensive revenue sharing joint venture for all services between China and Canada.

By launching non-stop services between Beijing and Montreal, the Star Alliance carriers will provided great connections and seamless transfers for travellers to other destinations in China, Canada or the United States via their Beijing and Montreal hubs.

As announced earlier, Air China and Air Canada signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) back in November last year, penning the principles for an integrated revenue sharing joint venture.

The MOU offers an enhanced partnership for routes between China and Canada, which is expected to increase traffic between the two countries. The partnership is expected to come into effect in the second half of this year.

Presently, Air China operates up to 11 flights weekly between Beijing and Vancouver and 28 flights per week between the two countries, from Shanghai, Beijing, Vancouver and Toronto.