MONTREAL — Air Canada flight AC828 touched down at Lyon-Saint-Exupery airport early this morning, marking the start of the only year-round nonstop flights between North America and the second largest metropolitan area in France.

Flights will operate five times weekly during the summer and four times weekly during the winter with a B767-300ER featuring 24 International Business Class lie-flat suites and 187 economy class seats.

“Air Canada has long served Paris Charles de Gaulle now with up to four daily flights, two from Montreal and two from Toronto,” said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines, at Air Canada.

The new mainline route is aimed at further increasing convenience for Air Canada passengers travelling to France for business or leisure. “As the only airline offering year-round service between North America and Lyon, Air Canada continues to develop its Montreal hub as a convenient connecting point for one-stop access to and from the U.S.,” said Smith.

At the same time Air Canada is strengthening its presence in the important French market where it also offers Air Canada rouge service to Nice-Côte d’Azur four times a week during the summer months, he added.