Strong forward bookings out of New Zealand have encouraged Air Canada to increase its Auckland-Vancouver service to five times a week from December – just a matter of weeks after the carrier resumes the service three times a week on 12 November.

Vic Naughton, AC’s general manager Australia and New Zealand, says bookings are ahead of where they were in 2019 when Air Canada last flew the route.

Air Canada has announced a strategic expansion of its South Pacific schedule with the return of daily service to Sydney and resumption of services to both Brisbane and Auckland. Air Canada’s Australia and New Zealand flights operate from its trans Pacific hub at Vancouver International Airport which the carrier has built to connect its international network to its North American network.

A group of travel agents are currently on travel&co’s 2020 SKI BC, Canada agent famil, run in conjunction with Air Canada and Destination BC.

The growth of New Zealand numbers into western Canada, much of it driven by bookings through trade, has prompted a number of operators to plan increased efforts in this market.

The opportunity for more yield by utilising increased connectivity to and beyond Vancouver was highlighted at the Canada Eh! event in Auckland this week.

Jared Jamison, sales account manager for Air New Zealand, says a move to the 787-900 (rather than the 777-200) in December also puts more Business Premier and premium economy on the AKL-YVR route. Both cabins are in demand with New  Zealanders heading to Canada, he says. ‘We’ve got 29 connections within domestic Canada working with Air Canada, United Airlines and WestJet Airlines that can be accessed via our North American gateways and there will be connections from New York into Canada as well.’

travel&co. and Air Canada have launched an incentive that will see six Kiwi travel agents jetting off to Canada in March 2020.

Air Canada’s sales from this market, in advance of the coming direct service between Auckland and Vancouver mid December, have already exceeded expectations, says the airline’s general manager Australia and New Zealand Vic Naughton.

Air Canada celebrated with 120 agents in Auckland last week at the premier of once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

The ease and convenience of using Vancouver Airport as a gateway to other points in North America (either in transit or combined with a stopover) is being emphasised to the New Zealand trade from Air Canada as the airline prepares for the introduction of direct AKL-YVR seasonal service later this year.

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Last Friday some Air Canada supporters were invited to a game of ice hockey at Spark Arena. The group had a chance to go behind the scenes and meet the coaches prior to the match and to chat to some of the players after their Canada win against the USA team eight-five.