December 11, 2019– The first A220-300 for Air Canada has successfully completed its inaugural test flight from the Mirabel A220 final assembly line in Canada. The first of 45 aircraft for Air Canada is scheduled to be delivered to the Montreal-based airline in the coming weeks.

With its first A220 commercial flight in early 2020, Canada’s flag carrier will become the first airline in Canada to operate the Canadian-designed and -built A220. It will also become the first carrier in North America to fly the A220-300 variant.

Air Canada is planning to use the A220 on various domestic routes in Canada as well as to the United States. The A220’s unequaled performance and range capability will enable the airline to serve new markets, such as Montreal to Seattle and Toronto to San Jose, connecting the carrier’s main hubs to the West Coast, as of Spring 2020.

Benefiting from the latest technologies, the A220 is the quietest, cleanest and most eco-friendly aircraft in its category. Featuring a 50% reduced noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft, 20% lower fuel burn per seat and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards, the A220 is a great aircraft for neighborhood airports.

Around 100 A220s are currently flying with six operators on routes in Asia, America, Europe and Africa, proving the great versatility of Airbus’ latest family member.

Hamburg, Germany | April 8, 2014– Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), a world leader in in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) systems, will deliver its industry-leading eX3 in-flight entertainment and communications solution to Air Canada for 37 wide body aircraft.

Under terms of the agreement, Panasonic will linefit install eX3 on Air Canada’s 37 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.  Deliveries commence with the airline’s first 787 aircraft in Spring 2014.  Air Canada currently has five Boeing 777-300 aircraft equipped with Panasonic’s eX2 system.

“Panasonic’s eX2 system has been very popular with our passengers.  With the introduction of our new Dreamliner fleet, we are very excited to launch an even more advanced system that will include a deep portfolio of applications and services that will immerse our customers in a truly next-generation in-flight experience,” said Craig Landry, Vice President, Marketing, for Air Canada.

With eX3, Air Canada’s passengers will be able to watch more than 600 hours of entertainment on larger, higher definition screens that are up to 18-inches in business class and enjoyhigher definition touch screens at every seat featuring an advanced intuitive interface that will be easy and pleasant to navigate.

According to Paul Margis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation: “Panasonic is very excited about the growing relationship with Air Canada, and we are thrilled to have been selected as their IFEC provider for their 787 program. We are very happy to partner with Air Canada on exciting applications and services that leverage the unmatched performance of our system in order to delight passengers and foster even higher levels of brand loyalty.”

• $6.5 billion order represents shift to Boeing fleet

Seattle, WA | April 1, 2014/PRNewswire/– Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Air Canada have finalized an order for 61 737 MAX airplanes to lead the airline’s single-aisle fleet renewal plan. The order, valued at $6.5 billion at list prices, consists of 33 737 MAX 8s and 28 737 MAX 9s, as well as 18 options and 30 rights to purchase additional 737 MAXs.

“Our narrowbody fleet renewal program with the 737 MAX is expected to yield significant cost savings and is a key element of our ongoing cost transformation program ,” said Calin Rovinescu, President and CEO of Air Canada. “Projected fuel and maintenance cost improvements of more than 20 percent per seat will generate an estimated CASM reduction of approximately 10 percent compared to our existing narrowbody fleet. In addition, the 737 MAX offers improvements to the environment, making this the best choice for Air Canada.”

The 737 MAX improves fuel efficiency and reduces carbon emissions by 14 percent, while reducing the operational noise footprint by 40 percent, compared to today’s aircraft.

“We’re honored Air Canada selected Boeing for their single-aisle fleet renewal,” said Brad McMullen, vice president of North America Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 737 MAX will deliver big fuel savings to the airline while providing Air Canada’s customers with best in class passenger amenities.”

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology LEAP-1B engines from CFM International with other advancements including Advanced Technology winglets, large flight deck displays and the Boeing Sky Interior to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

The 737 MAX has accumulated more than 1,900 orders to date from 37 customers worldwide.

Development of the 737 MAX is on schedule with firm configuration of the airplane completed in July 2013. First flight is scheduled in 2016 with deliveries to customers beginning in third quarter of 2017.

Kelsterbach, Germany | October 2, 2012– Air Canada will manage its codeshare flights with SchedConnect from Lufthansa Systems. Both companies recently signed a five-year contract to this effect. The leading solution enables Air Canada to optimize its codeshare management and to lower costs and increase revenue. Lufthansa Systems will host the new system in its own data center.

“With more than 20 partner airlines, Air Canada needed a solution to better manage its code share relationships. SchedConnect’s modular approach allowed the tool to be easily integrated into Air Canada’s existing applications in order to deliver optimized code share connections to and from the Air Canada network in a timely manner,” said Marcel Forget, Air Canada’s Vice President of Network Planning.

SchedConnect offers a high degree of automation, calculating the optimum codeshare assignments based on the current flight schedules every day. The system processes schedule data of more than 150 airlines worldwide. If a minimum connecting time is violated due to a schedule change or if a partner flight is cancelled, the system automatically assigns the marketing flight number to another suitable connecting flight. Changes are sent through the reservation systems to travel agents and customers as well as to the operations and passenger-related systems of the airlines involved. Lufthansa Systems offers its codeshare management solution as an Application Service Providing (ASP) model, delivering 24/7 server operation and state-of-the-art infrastructure services.

“We are very proud that Air Canada has decided to expand our cooperation and look forward to continuing the trusted relationship. The new agreement confirms the high value that our products offer our customers in terms of enhanced efficiency, reduced costs or increased profits,” says Klaus Bernhardt, Senior Vice President Regional Management Americas at Lufthansa Systems.

Air Canada uses a wide range of IT solutions from Lufthansa Systems since 2008, including the IOCC Platform which controls and monitors all aspects of airline operations which are closely interlinked in practice.

– Potential to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 40%

June 18, 2012– Airbus and Air Canada are performing today North America’s first “Perfect Flight” over international borders, with the goal of cutting CO2 emissions by more than 40 percent compared to a regular flight. The commercial flight on an Airbus A319 aircraft from Toronto, Canada to Mexico City will combine the use a modern, state-of-the-art aircraft, powered by sustainable alternative fuels, guided by streamlined Air Traffic Management procedures and facilitated through best practice operations to under-pin the industry’s four pillar strategy to tackle carbon emissions..
The Air Canada flight (AC991) is the second leg out of a series of four biofuel flights taking the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Raymond Benjamin to Rio de Janeiro for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

The flight combines best operational and environmental practices available today. Dubbed as “Perfect Flight”, it includes:

– Operation of the most eco-efficient aircraft family in its market segment.

– Use of sustainable bio-fuel blend (a 50 percent blend) made from used cooking oil supplied by SkyNRG.

– Optimized routings and flight altitude. In agreement with the Air Traffic Management authorities, the Airbus A319 will fly the most direct route, using the most efficient vertical flight profile and applying a Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) into Mexico City to save fuel and limit noise.

– Combination of several eco-efficient operational procedures such as single engine-taxiing, external aircraft cleaning for improved aerodynamics, light weight cabin equipment and a neatly tailored flight plan
“Today’s flight with Air Canada proves that the aviation industry is in a strong position to reduce emissions and fly many more Perfect Flights,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO. “To make this a day-to-day commercial reality, it requires now a political will to foster incentives to scale up the use of sustainable biofuels and accelerate modernization of the air-traffic-management system. We need a clear endorsement by governments and all aviation stakeholders to venture beyond today’s limitations.”

“Air Canada fully accepts its responsibility to reduce its footprint and our first flight using biofuel tangibly demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the environment. Since 1990 our airline has become 30 per cent more fuel efficient and we are determined to increase these gains through cutting-edge measures such as those being showcased with this Airbus A319 Toronto-Mexico City flight, our greenest ever,” said Duncan Dee, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Air Canada. “
As a leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus is in pursuit of the “Perfect Flight” and believes that its scale-up can start today to shrink the environmental footprint of an aircraft’s flight to a minimum. More than 90 percent of Airbus Research & Technology investments are for the benefit of the environment.

Airbus is committed to meet the industry targets: to grow carbon neutral by 2020 while improving fuel efficiency by 1.5 percent per year.

MONTREAL, Nov. 19 – Air Canada said today it has begun trials to offer its customers Gogo(R) Inflight Internet service on board select flights on the carrier’s Toronto-Los Angeles and Montreal-Los Angeles routes.

“Air Canada is the first Canadian airline to begin offering customers access to the internet while they are flying,” said Louise McKenven, Senior Director, Marketing, at Air Canada. “With this service, our customers will be able to email, work and surf the net while flying, and more fully enjoy what is already a superior travel experience that includes complimentary seatback entertainment and access to standard power outlets.”

Following the test period which runs until January 29, 2010, Air Canada will analyze usage and customer feedback before it proceeds with introduction of the service on other routes.

“This initial phase is intended to get our customers’ feedback about this exciting new service. The ultimate rollout of our inflight internet service will be finalized pending the outcome of the trial period as well as obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals and the development of ground infrastructure in Canada to provide a domestic network,” added Ms. McKenven.

“We are very pleased to launch Gogo on Air Canada, the first Canadian airline to offer Inflight Internet,” stated Ron LeMay, Aircell President and CEO. “Air Canada’s customers will now feel the freedom of having the world at their fingertips thanks to having full Internet access in flight. We look forward to working with Air Canada to deliver that world to them.”

Customers can access the service using their own standard, Wi-Fi equipped laptop at a cost of US $9.95 per flight or Personal Electronic Device (PED) at a cost of US $7.95 per flight.

Initially, the Gogo system will be powered by Aircell’s existing network and only available in the continental U.S. in order to make Air Canada’s rollout fast, economical and simple. Air Canada intends to extend the system on other routes in North American with the deployment of the Canadian Air-To-Ground (ATG) network. Aircell plans to collaborate with the Canadian ATG licensee in supporting the establishment of a Canadian ATG network and in facilitating the fleet-wide deployment of Air Canada’s onboard connectivity service.

About Air Canada

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Montreal-based Air Canada provides scheduled and charter air transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 170 destinations on five continents. Canada’s flag carrier is the 13th largest commercial airline in the world and serves 33 million customers annually. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, providing the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network.

About Aircell

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Aircell(R) is the world’s leading provider of airborne communications. As winner of an exclusive FCC frequency license in 2006, Aircell has built a revolutionary mobile broadband network for commercial and business aviation. In 2008, the Aircell Network and its inflight portal, Gogo(R), revolutionized the commercial airline passenger flight experience by delivering a robust Internet experience at 35,000 feet. In addition, the Aircell Network provides airlines with connectivity to operations and a path to enhanced cabin services such as video, audio, television and more. A similar feature set is available to Business aircraft operators. Aircell has facilities in Broomfield, Colorado, and Itasca, Illinois. Aircell’s vision is to give everyone the ability to stay in touch, in flight(R). For more information about Aircell, please visit www.aircell.com.

About Gogo

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Gogo(R), powered by Aircell, turns a commercial airplane into a Wi-Fi hotspot with true inflight Internet access. Passengers with Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs, can surf the Web, check e-mail, instant message, access a corporate VPN and more. For more information about Gogo, please visit www.gogoinflight.com. You can also follow ‘gogoInflight’ on Twitter (www.twitter.com/gogoinflight) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/gogoinflight).