Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline and flag carrier, took to the skies with its newest transatlantic service today, inaugurating flights between Edinburgh and Montréal.

Named North America’s Best Airline, Air Canada touched down in the Scottish capital earlier this morning, before being welcomed on arrival by a bagpiper and official gate ceremony led by Rocky Lo, Air Canada’s Managing Director of International Sales.
The airline’s first departure from Edinburgh, bound for Montréal, then took to the skies for its transatlantic crossing at 11:15.

The new direct service marks the only connection between Scotland and Canada’s second-largest city, heralding a new era for transatlantic travel from the Scottish capital.

Flights will operate three times per week during the peak summer season, departing Edinburgh each Tuesday, Friday and Sunday morning, arriving into Canada’s cultural hub in just over seven hours*.

On the return, flights depart Montréal each Monday, Thursday and Saturday evening, before arriving into Edinburgh Airport the next morning.
 
Customers looking to cross the Atlantic in style can benefit from this new service until 7 September, with flights operated by the airline’s 737 MAX 8 fleet, featuring 16 seats in Premium Economy and 153 in Economy, with personal touch-screen TVs at every seat.

Rocky Lo, Air Canada’s Managing Director of International Sales, said: “We are thrilled to be taking to the skies with our latest transatlantic route from the Scottish capital to our home hub, Montréal, just in time for summer.

“Edinburgh is an important destination for Air Canada, thanks to the strong cultural ties between Scotland and Canada, so we are proud to be solidifying our presence in the market with the new route, working with our partners at Edinburgh Airport.

“As the only airline connecting these two iconic cities, initial demand for the route has already been strong, and we expect interest to grow even further in the coming months, as leisure and business travellers plan their last-minute summer trips.”

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport said: “We are delighted to welcome our guests from Montréal to Scotland’s capital, giving them the opportunity to experience everything our fantastic city has to offer.

“We know there is strong interest in Scotland around the world, and Canada remains one of our key markets for both inbound and outbound tourism. That’s why it makes perfect sense to make travel between our countries as seamless as possible by adding more direct connections.

“We have an excellent relationship with Air Canada, and we’re both thrilled to see two of those iconic tailfins at Edinburgh Airport.”

Known for its blend of European charm and North American attitude, Montréal boasts world-class history, cultural diversity, culinary riches and artistic creativity, while Canada’s landscape shares many similarities with its Scottish cousin.

Situated in the French speaking province of Quebec, Montréal is Canada’s second largest city, offering travellers a wealth of leading attractions. Visitors can explore landmarks such as the Notre-Dame Basilica, walk along the historic Old Port, and savour the city’s world-famous bagels and poutine.

The metropolis is also home to the Montreal Jazz Festival and Just For Laughs comedy festivals, the largest of their kind globally, which are set to take place this July. This gives customers a unique connection between the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest performance arts festival, and these leading international events.

Air Canada’s new route will complement existing summer seasonal flights from Edinburgh to Toronto, which currently operate up to seven times per week during peak season.

With this news, Air Canada will operate a total of 75 weekly flights between the UK and Canada this summer, with routes from London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh to cities including Calgary, Halifax, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

Alongside smooth connections to a wide range of cities across Canada, the airline’s global network offers customers convenient options to connect via Canada to destinations in the US, Caribbean, South America and Mexico.

Those flying through Air Canada’s hubs to the U.S. also benefit from US customs preclearance, allowing travellers to pre-clear all US immigration and customs formalities pre-departure, and therefore arrive in the US as a domestic passenger.

For more information on Air Canada and its global network, visit www.aircanada.com