MONTREAL, Dec. 17 /CNW Telbec/ – Air Canada today announced that it will
introduce daily non-stop seasonal service between St. John’s and London
Heathrow, U.K. offering convenient connecting flights throughout Europe with
its Star Alliance partner carriers. Air Canada will operate the only daily
non-stop service between Newfoundland and Labrador and London Heathrow
between May 27, 2010 and September 26, 2010.
“For the past several months we have worked closely with the local
community and the Airport Authority to offer travellers in Newfoundland and
Labrador the convenience of the only daily non-stop service to London
Heathrow in time for the peak summer travel season,” said Nick Careen, Vice
President, Airports, Air Canada in St. John’s with airport, tourism and
government officials. “With this improved schedule, we believe our customers
in Newfoundland and Labrador will value this direct link to the U.K., as the
fastest and most efficient way of making connections to several European
capitals such as Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Vienna, Moscow, as well as
Dubai. We hope the support for this route will enable us to operate it again
next year and even extend it year-round. Air Canada is proud to serve
Newfoundland and Labrador with safe and reliable air transportation since
1942, and we are committed to look ahead for new opportunities with the
support of our customers.”
“After months of working with Air Canada, we’re very encouraged by Air
Canada’s confidence in the St. John’s market and their decision to offer a
daily direct flight between St. John’s and London Heathrow,” said Keith
Collins, President and CEO of the St. John’s International Airport Authority.
“Our community has strongly expressed their need and their desire for Air
Canada to reestablish this important link to Europe and we’re delighted that
they’ve decided to begin the service at a time when travel between St. John’s
and Europe is anticipated to increase due to the development of the Hebron
project.”
“Destination St. John’s congratulates Air Canada on this decision and its
expression of confidence in Newfoundland and Labrador. This service will open
up opportunities to attract meetings, conventions and events that have a
European component to St. John’s. We all need to work to fill these planes
with business and leisure travelers to ensure the business case on this route
remains compelling,” said Keith Healey, CEO, Destination St. John’s.
“There is a reason to fly internationally in and out of St. John’s, and
it is because of the vibrancy of our economy,” said St. John’s Board of Trade
Chair Bruce Templeton. “Air Canada has recognized a sustainable opportunity
based on the current strength of our local business community and the
positive outlook we have for continued growth and success. We have major
projects like Hebron coming to fruition and a number that look promising for
development. European air access is a vital link to new global economic
opportunities that will help maintain our momentum.”
“I am very pleased that Air Canada has recognized the value of
reinstating this air connection to Europe,” stated St. John’s Mayor Dennis
O’Keefe. “There is a real confidence in the St. John’s and provincial economy
over the past few years. With the impending major resource developments,
expansion of ocean technology and the growth of St. John’s as a host for
international conferences, I anticipate there will be significant take up in
this service.”
“I am pleased to hear about this expansion of service between St. John’s
and London, England,” said Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and
Minister for the Atlantic Gateway. “This direct flight will not only benefit
Canadians, but will attract more visitors to Newfoundland and Labrador and
support our local economy.”
Air Canada flight AC822 will leave St. John’s at 21:55, arriving in
London at 06:25, and flight AC823 will leave London at 12:35 arriving in St.
John’s at 14:35.
At London Heathrow Air Canada offers convenient connections to points
throughout Europe with its Star Alliance partners: SAS Scandinavian Airlines
to Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo; bmi British Midland to Glasgow, Dublin,
Aberdeen and Manchester; and Austrian Airlines to Vienna. In St. John’s Air
Canada’s flights are timed to offer convenient connections to and from Deer
Lake, Halifax, Montréal and Toronto.
The carrier will operate the route using newly refurbished 120-seat
Airbus A319 aircraft in a two-cabin configuration offering a choice of
Executive Class and Economy service. The A319 jets feature Air Canada’s
personal entertainment system with 8.9-inch wide digital in-seat monitors and
touch-screen controls offering hours of audio and video on demand programming
at every seat. Other features include in-seat power within reach of every
customer.
Air Canada’s new St. John’s-London Heathrow service will complement the
carrier’s daily non-stop flights to London Heathrow from Vancouver, Edmonton,
Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Halifax. In 2010 the carrier will
offer up to 84 flights each week from Canada to London Heathrow.
With the launch of Air Canada’s St. John’s-London Heathrow service, Air
Canada and Air Canada Jazz offer over 150 scheduled flights each week to 12
destinations across Canada to and from St. John’s, including non-stop service
to Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and London Heathrow, as well as same plane
service to Calgary, Vancouver, Fort McMurray and Edmonton.