MONTREAL — Air Canada is adding new nonstop services to Lyon, France and London’s Gatwick airport beginning in summer 2016.
The announcement comes just after WestJet said that London Gatwick would be the first destinations it will serve with its wide-body 767s next spring.
“Pursuing our ongoing strategy to expand internationally, Air Canada is pleased to offer customers nonstop, year-round service between Montreal and Lyon, heart of the second largest metropolitan area in France. Air Canada continues to serve Paris Charles de Gaulle and this new Air Canada mainline route will further increase convenience for customers travelling to France as well as provide the only year-round service between North America and Lyon. It also complements our Air Canada rouge Nice-Côte d’Azur service,” said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines, at Air Canada.
“Our new seasonal Air Canada rouge service between Toronto and London’s Gatwick airport will complement our extensive operation at London Heathrow, our largest gateway outside Canada with nonstop service from eight Canadian cities. Air Canada rouge is ideally suited to serve London Gatwick, with its focus on leisure travel and provide easy access to southern London. This new service will also make us the only Canadian carrier serving multiple airports in the London region and complements our Air Canada rouge service to Manchester and Edinburgh. Both new routes offer customers convenient connection times with our extensive domestic, U.S. transborder and international network.”
Tickets for both routes will be available for purchase starting July 2, 2015 and service between Montreal and Lyon will begin June 16, 2016 and operate up to five times weekly with an Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 37 International Business Class lie-flat suites and 228 Economy class seats. Air Canada rouge’s summer seasonal service between Toronto and London Gatwick will begin May 19, 2016 and operate up to seven times weekly with a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with 24 Premium rouge seats and 256 rouge seats.
