Air Canada Named Best Airline in North America, Offers 15% Discount on Business Class for Groups of 3 to 8

Air Canada has been riding high on good news lately. In 2017, it was once again named “Best Airline in North America” by the renowned UK-based airline service survey organization SKYTRAX, maintaining its distinction as the only North American airline to receive a four-star rating. It was also awarded “Best Long-Haul Airline in the Americas in 2018” by the globally prestigious aviation website AirlineRatings.com. Air Canada Taipei announced today (24th) the launch of a 15% discount on business class tickets for groups of 3 to 8 people, with student tickets starting at NT$30,600.

In 2017, Air Canada hired 6,000 new employees and was voted one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for the fifth consecutive year. It was also ranked among the Top 50 Most Attractive Employers in North America for the second year in a row. The airline has also announced plans to launch 12 new international routes in 2018, including flights from Canada to Ireland, Romania, Argentina, France, and Switzerland, demonstrating its ambition to become one of the world’s top ten airlines.

Air Canada’s stock price rose 90% last year. Liu Guihao, Senior Director of Commercial Strategy at Air Canada, said: “We are fully committed to our goal of becoming one of the world’s top ten airlines by 2020. We have been very proactive in expanding our route network, renewing our fleet, and recruiting talent. In 2017, we launched 30 new routes, 20 of which were international, showcasing our comprehensive global network across all six continents. Additionally, our total passenger volume increased by three million this year to reach 48 million, contributing to strong revenue growth and doubling our stock price in 2017!”

Liu Guihao also emphasized: “Asia is a market we highly value, especially Taiwan where we just launched the direct Taipei–Vancouver route this year. Aside from planning to adjust the summer flight schedule starting in May to daily direct flights, we have also introduced special offers tailored to different travelers’ needs. This includes a 15% discount on business class for groups of 3 to 8 people traveling together. Routes from Taipei to Vancouver, Calgary, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas, and Denver start as low as NT$57,800 from Vancouver. For students, we have introduced a new student ticket program. Students with valid student IDs or working holiday visas, along with their immediate family members and spouses, can enjoy special fares such as Taipei–Vancouver starting from NT$30,600, and Taipei to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle from NT$26,900. We hope to become the top choice for Taiwanese travelers flying to North America!”

Air Canada also explained that it operates the North American market through a three-brand strategy involving Air Canada itself, Air Canada Express (its regional carrier), and Air Canada Rouge (its low-cost airline). The airline currently has a total fleet of 379 aircraft, making it one of the largest in the world. In 2017, it was the first to introduce the latest narrow-body aircraft, the Boeing 737 MAX. By the end of 2018, 16 more 737 MAX planes will be delivered, with 43 additional orders and options for 109 more. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner currently used on the Taipei–Vancouver route has 30 planes in service, with 7 more expected to be delivered by the end of 2019. Coupled with an order of 45 new C-Series (Bombardier 300) narrow-body twin-engine aircraft from Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier, Air Canada aims to build one of the newest and most advanced fleets globally by 2020, offering travelers even more extensive connections across all six continents.

2018 International Route Launch Schedule:

Toronto, Canada to: Shannon, Ireland; Porto, Portugal; Zagreb, Croatia; Bucharest, Romania; Buenos Aires, Argentina

Montreal, Canada to: Tokyo (Narita), Japan; Dublin, Ireland; Bucharest, Romania; Lisbon, Portugal; Tel Aviv, Israel

Vancouver, Canada to: Paris, France; Zurich, Switzerland

Air Canada reminds travelers from Taiwan that it is their responsibility to prepare valid travel documents. Starting now, travelers entering Canada or transiting through Canada to other countries in the Americas must apply for an eTA (electronic travel authorization) in advance. Those without a valid eTA may be denied boarding by Air Canada in accordance with regulations.

(Business)