Air Canada is significantly enhancing its transborder operations, particularly to the United States, with a total of 10,356 flights scheduled for October 2023. This expansion comes despite growing political tensions between Canada and the U.S. According to data from Cirium, the airline is offering over 1.2 million seats across these routes, indicating a robust demand for cross-border travel.
A closer look reveals that a substantial portion of these flights is operated by regional jets. Out of the total, only 4,175 flights, or approximately 40.3%, are classified as mainline Air Canada services. The airline primarily utilizes the Airbus A220, A320, and Boeing 737 families, but a select number of routes feature widebody aircraft, such as the Airbus A330 and Boeing 787 series.
Boeing 787-8 Dominates Key Routes
Among the widebody options, the Boeing 787-8 stands out, operating the most frequented transborder route this month. Specifically, Air Canada has scheduled 134 flights involving widebody twinjets, with 50 flights connecting Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This route will see the Boeing 787-8, which accommodates 255 seats in a three-class configuration, operating daily until October 25, 2023. Following this date, the service will transition to align with the IATA Winter Schedule. Additionally, there is one scheduled round trip on October 31 between Montréal (YUL) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL).
Air Canada has highlighted the significance of its 787 fleet, stating, “Five years ago, we introduced our Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on two routes with a dream of flying the flag to places we’d never been before. Today, those two routes have grown to 31 across five continents, with 35 Dreamliners travelling the globe daily, serving customers in 27 languages.”
Airbus A330-300’s Versatile Route Network
While the 787-8 operates the busiest widebody route, the A330-300 is set to serve the most diverse array of U.S. corridors this month. The A330-300 will operate a total of 11 flights between Montréal and Fort Lauderdale, including twice-daily services from October 26-30 and one flight on October 31. This aircraft type will also connect Toronto Pearson to Fort Lauderdale, starting with 12 flights during the same period, coinciding with the change to the IATA Winter Schedule.
In addition, the A330-300 will operate 12 rotations between Montréal and Los Angeles during October, though no flights are planned after the schedule change.
The transition to the winter schedule will also introduce the mid-sized Boeing 787-9 on a new transborder route linking Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Vancouver (YVR). From October 25, 2023, the 787-9 will operate daily, with an estimated eastbound block time of five hours and eight minutes and a return time of five hours and fifty minutes. The eastbound flights will depart at 18:25 and arrive at 21:15 local time.
The 787-9 features a larger capacity of 298 passengers, with a configuration that includes 30 Signature business class flatbeds, 21 premium economy seats, and 247 economy class seats arranged in a nine-abreast layout.
As Air Canada continues to adapt to market demands, the expansion of its transborder widebody fleet reflects its commitment to providing diverse travel options for passengers while navigating the complexities of international relations.
