- First non-stop flight between Canada and Ecuador
MONTREAL, Feb. 27, 2019 /CNW/ - Air Canada announced today
it will launch new, non-stop service between Toronto and Quito.
The new route, to be operated three-times weekly on a seasonal basis by Air Canada Rouge, will be the first non-stop service to
Ecuador from Canada when it begins December 8, 2019, subject to obtaining the necessary government approvals.
"Air Canada is expanding its footprint in South America as
part of its ongoing international growth strategy from our Toronto global hub. As the capital of
Ecuador, Quito is both an important tourism and cargo market,
and Ecuador has a growing number of Canadians living in the country who will also benefit from
this convenient non-stop service. As well, our expansion in South America gives us an
opportunity to efficiently deploy our aircraft during the winter months when southern destinations are more popular," said
Mark Galardo, Vice President, Network Planning, at Air Canada.
The Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, Rosi Prado de Holguín, remarked that the Ministry
welcomes connectivity as fundamental to promoting the arrival of visitors to the country: "Connectivity allows tourists to fall
in love of the 'country of the four worlds'. Also, our goal is to ensure tourism remains the third largest source of income for
Ecuador, that's why we keep working every day to promote Ecuador in the world."
"Having Air Canada introducing a direct service between Toronto and Quito represents a major announcement. This new non-stop flight will act as a catalyst to strengthen
existing ties between Ecuador and Canada by facilitating
mobility for tourists and students; encouraging commercial exchange and opening new doors to further expand the breadth of our
relations. Congratulations to Air Canada and to the Airport of Quito for this important
success!" said Sylvie Bédard, Designated Ambassador of Canada to Ecuador.
"Air Canada's decision to start operations between Toronto
and Quito is very important as we are opening not only a new route, but a new market with a lot
of potential. The Ecuadorian community in Toronto is significant and with the new flight we open
the door so they are better connected to their home country. Quito is a tourist destination with
great potential for Canadian travelers who are eager to explore different places and customs. In that sense, Ecuador has much to offer in cultural, historical, adventure and nature tourism, without forgetting of
course its wonderful beaches and landscapes. The route to Toronto will also offer tourists from
Ecuador the opportunity to get closer to Canada, a very
welcoming country with unique attractions for Ecuadorians, thanks to the geographic and cultural contrast between both countries
that, nonetheless, share a common characteristic: warmth towards visitors," said Andrew O'Brian,
President and CEO, Corporación Quiport (Quito International Airport).
"In recent years, Quito has substantially improved its air connectivity with new routes and
more frequencies to important destinations in the world. Having a direct flight between Quito
and Toronto opens the doors to new opportunities with Canada,
which is one of the most important and potential markets in the world. More tourism, more business, more connectivity and greater
competitiveness. This is a great example of an excellent coordination and teamwork between the public and private sectors," said
Álvaro Maldonado, Productive Development and Competiveness Secretary for Quito.
The new route will commence on December 8, 2019 and operate three return-trips weekly between
Toronto and Quito until May 11,
2020. Flights will be operated by Air Canada Rouge using a 282-seat, Boeing 767-300ER aircraft offering two cabins and
inflight entertainment streamed to personal devices. The flights will connect conveniently across Air Canada's network in
North America and Europe. Customers can also collect and
redeem Aeroplan Miles 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.
Flight
|
Departs
|
Arrives
|
Days of Week
|
AC1950
|
Toronto 23:45
|
Quito 06:30 + 1 day
|
Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
|
AC1951
|
Quito 08:30
|
Toronto 15:05
|
Monday, Thursday, Saturday
|
Special introductory fares start as low as $631 round-trip, all in, and tickets are now
available for purchase at aircanada.com or through travel agents.
The new Toronto-Quito route is one of three new routes
announced today by Air Canada. In addition, new seasonal services were also announced between Vancouver-Auckland and Montréal-São Paulo. For more details please see
www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/about/media.html
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international
airline serving nearly 220 airports on six continents. Canada's flag carrier is among the 20
largest airlines in the world and in 2018 served nearly 51 million customers. Air Canada
provides scheduled passenger service directly to 63 airports in Canada, 56 in the United States and 100 in Europe, the Middle
East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico,
Central America and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive
air transportation network serving 1,317 airports in 193 countries. Air Canada is the only
international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to
independent U.K. research firm Skytrax, which also named Air Canada the 2018 Best Airline in North
America. For more information, please visit: aircanada.com/media, follow @AirCanada
on Twitter and join Air Canada on Facebook.
Internet: aircanada.com
SOURCE Air Canada
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