Air Canada is set to launch the only non-stop flights between North America and Thailand in December, with the debut of direct services between Vancouver and Bangkok.

The move comes as the carrier readies to resume flights to Mumbai, its second destination in India, and ups operations in the South Pacific.

Air Canada’s seasonal service to Bangkok will operate from its trans-Pacific hub at Vancouver International Airport, while the carrier’s Mumbai flights will operate from Toronto via London-Heathrow.

“We are extremely pleased to be launching our first non-stop service to South-East Asia this winter, the only one between North America and Thailand,” said Air Canada Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management, Mark Galardo.

“Thailand is a popular leisure destination for Canadians and this new service will give Aeroplan members exciting opportunities to both earn and redeem their points. For further convenience, our Bangkok flights will connect to our extensive domestic and trans-border network giving customers added seamlessness and choice when travelling,” said

“We are also excited to return to Mumbai, India’s largest city and an important financial, commercial, and entertainment hub, complementing our 13 weekly flights from Canada to Delhi.

“Our Mumbai services are scheduled to operate with a stop in London Heathrow, offering connectivity to more than a dozen Air Canada and Star Alliance partner United Airlines flights between North America and London, as well as additional options for travel between the UK and India.

“The India market remains very important to Air Canada, and we are committed to resuming our currently paused non-stop services on Toronto-Mumbai and Vancouver-Delhi when circumstances allow.”

The planned service between Vancouver and Bangkok, as well as between Toronto and Mumbai via London-Heathrow, will be operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft featuring three cabins of service for customers to choose from, including lie-flat seats in Signature Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class.

Air Canada is also bolstering its international winter offering to the South Pacific region with the return of seasonal service from Vancouver to Auckland, New Zealand, and additional flights to Sydney and Brisbane, Australia.

Air Canada is also re-establishing international services to South America with the resumption of routes from Montreal and Toronto to Lima, Peru on a seasonal basis.

“We continue to pursue our strategy of expanding our global network in response to pent-up demand, and expect to operate approximately 81 per cent of our 2019 international capacity this winter. We look forward to welcoming our customers onboard,” Galardo said.

Air Canada’s onboard services on international flights showcase some of the best cuisine Canadian culinary talent has to offer with Air Canada’s panel of celebrity chefs, including award-winning, Vancouver-based chefs David Hawksworth and Vikram Vij, and renowned Montreal chefs Antonio Park and chef Jérôme Ferrer.

Complementing the culinary journey is a selection of top wines chosen by leading Canadian sommelier, Véronique Rivest.

All customers have the opportunity to collect and redeem points through Aeroplan, 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.