Wayfarer TV: Air Canada back to Auckland, Brisbane in major South Pacific expansion
Air Canada General Manager Australia and New Zealand, Vic Naughton, says the flights will operate to and from Air Canada’s trans-Pacific hub at Vancouver International Airport, from where travellers can conveniently connect with the carrier’s vast North American network.
He says the new services will “further establish Vancouver as the most friendly and convenient year-round gateway to North America for business and leisure travellers”.
“Our new services not only provide more direct links to Canada, they also open up one of the fastest ways for Australians and Kiwis to reach New York and other key US cities,” he says.
“That’s because Air Canada passengers continuing on to cities across the United States quickly pass through Vancouver’s convenient US immigration and customs clearance facilities, which means they arrive at their final US destination as a domestic passenger.
“In addition, passengers travelling beyond Vancouver to other points in Canada don’t need to recheck their baggage in transit or pass through extra security checks.
“For Australian and New Zealand travellers, it adds up to an unrivalled customer journey experience.”
Air Canada’s South Pacific flights connect seamlessly and conveniently to and from its extensive North American network in Vancouver, including New York-Newark, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, Victoria, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and more.
In Sydney and Brisbane, Naughton says Air Canada’s flights will connect easily to and from Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Cairns and other destinations with code-share partner Virgin Australia.
“Air Canada is solidifying its market-leading position as the airline providing the most services between Canada and the South Pacific,” says Air Canada’s Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management, Mark Galardo.
“We are accelerating the restoration of our Australian and New Zealand routes to respond to pent-up travel between our countries as borders reopen.
“The seamless connections through in-transit pre-clearance facilities combined with our extensive North American network at our Vancouver hub positions [the airport] to be the preferred gateway for travel between North America and the South Pacific.
“Our restored South Pacific flights and vast North American network will support local tourism and hospitality sectors as customers in all four countries visit and explore. Customers can start planning ahead and book with confidence.
“We look forward to welcoming you onboard our award-winning airline,” Galardo says.
All customers can also collect and redeem Aeroplan Points through Canada’s leading loyalty program when travelling with Air Canada, and eligible customers have access to priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounges, priority boarding and other benefits.
The expanded partnership allows Virgin Australia’s eight million Velocity Frequent Flyer loyalty program members to earn Velocity Points and Status Credits and redeem on eligible flights with Air Canada between Australia and Vancouver and beyond.
To earn Velocity Points with Air Canada, members simply need to enter their Velocity Frequent Flyer number when booking their flight directly at aircanada.com