Air Canada unveils new airline
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Air Canada has announced the introduction of a new leisure airline, which will begin flying in July 2013.
The new airline, Air Canada rouge, will be the company’s first low-cost carrier and will fly to destinations including Venice, Edinburgh, Athens, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Costa Rica. The company has been launched following a contest on Air Canada’s facebook page.
“With the introduction today of Air Canada rouge, Air Canada enters today’s growing leisure travel market on a truly competitive basis,” said Ben Smith, Air Canada’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, at a news conference in Toronto to unveil the new leisure airline. “In partnership with Air Canada Vacations, part of our new leisure group, Air Canada rouge will leverage the strengths of Air Canada’s extensive network, operational expertise and frequent flyer reward programme in order to offer Canadians great value for their vacation travel.”
The introductory routes are all currently unavailable on Air Canada.
Michael Friisdahl, president and chief executive officer of Air Canada’s Leisure Group, added: “With leisure time at a premium, Air Canada rouge will combine affordable fares, great service and choice leisure destinations with those benefits offered by Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations that are valued most by vacation travellers. We look forward to giving them a warm welcome onboard Air Canada rouge, Canada’s affordably stylish leisure airline.”
Special fares will run until Christmas Day 2012, including US$949 return trips between Toronto and Venice/ Edinburgh on flights between July and October 2013.