VANCOUVER — Citing high demand Air Canada is expanding its seasonal 787 Dreamliner nonstop service between Vancouver and Delhi to new year-round flights starting June 8, 2018, with fares now available for sale.
Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada, says customer response to the carrier’s nonstop Vancouver-Delhi seasonal flights, initially launched in 2016, “has been extremely positive”.
Smith adds: “Our flights to Delhi from our YVR trans-Pacific hub onboard our state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner offer the shortest elapsed flying time from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles to the Indian subcontinent, and coupled with our streamlined and seamless connections process at YVR, means a savings of three to five hours compared to journeys connecting in Europe or Asia.”
Flight AC44 will depart Vancouver Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 1:30 a.m., arriving the next day at 4 a.m. On the return, flight AC45 will depart Delhi Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 6:10 a.m., arriving at 7:30 a.m.
Air Canada’s 787-9 Dreamliners to India are configured in three cabins with 30 International Business Class lie-flat suites, 21 Premium Economy and 247 Economy Class seats.
The new year-round service complements Air Canada’s year-round Dreamliner flights from Toronto to Delhi and Mumbai, he added. “Our nonstop Vancouver to Delhi flights together with our non-stop Toronto to Delhi and Mumbai flights represent three year-round routes to India launched within the last two and a half years. Air Canada is committing close to $1.5 billion worth of aircraft between Canada and India, underscoring our commitment to this vibrant market and to our continuing strategic, global expansion.”
India is the country of origin for over 230,000 British Columbians, says B.C. Premier John Horgan. “People in B.C. will benefit from the two-way tourism and business opportunities created through Air Canada’s first year-round direct service between Vancouver and Delhi.”
Vivek A. Savkur, President and CEO of the BC – India Business Network said he was “delighted to learn that Air Canada will fly non-stop from Vancouver to New Delhi throughout the year”, adding: “This will have a tremendous beneficial effect on trade, travel and tourism between B.C. and India.”
In other Air Canada news, the carrier is launching three new domestic regional routes starting July 2, 2018.
Tickets are now available to purchase for all of the new routes: Edmonton to Kelowna and Victoria; and Calgary to Comox.
“We are pleased to offer new non-stop flights onboard our Bombardier Q400s between popular B.C. and Alberta cities as we continue to strategically expand our already extensive domestic network,” said Smith. “With the continued growth at several communities on Vancouver Island and in the BC Okanagan, we see the opportunity to add new nonstop services and provide additional convenient travel options.”
All flights are timed to connect with Air Canada’s global schedule, provide for Aeroplan accumulation and redemption, Star Alliance reciprocal benefits, and for eligible customers, priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounge access at mainline Canadian airports including Edmonton and Calgary, priority boarding and other benefits.
