Air Canada will begin serving Taipei and Nagoya from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) starting summer 2017. The new direct routes will operate year-round, with the YVR to Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) service set to be the sole direct service to Nagoya from the Canadian airport.
The YVR-NGO route will begin as a three-times-weekly service starting June 1, 2017, with plans to expand it to four times a week in August and September. The carrier will deploy B767-300 ER aircraft on the route, which feature Premium Rouge and economy cabins.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver-Taipei route will operate between YVR and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) commencing June 8, 2017, subject to government approval. The airline will operate B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on the Taipei route, offering travellers the choice of 30 International Business Class seats comprising lie-flat pod suites, 21 premium economy seats and 247 economy class seats.
“Air Canada is pleased to offer customers two new non-stop routes to Asia, representing a further expansion of our substantial international and North American network from our YVR hub,” said Benjamin Smith, president, passenger airlines at Air Canada.
“Air Canada will be the only carrier to offer non-stop service from Canada to Taiwan and to Nagoya, our fourth airport in Japan. Travellers from across Canada and the US flying to Asia with us will enjoy seamless connections through in-transit pre-clearance facilities and competitive elapsed travel times, which firmly reinforces Air Canada and YVR as a preferred transpacific option for travel.”
The announcement follows the introduction of five new services by the carrier in the first half of 2016. These include international routes to Brisbane and Dublin, along with trans-border routes to San Jose, Chicago and San Diego in the US.
Meanwhile, the airline’s first flight to Delhi – the sole non-stop service to India from Vancouver – is set to take place on October 20 this year. A new daily service to Shanghai from Montreal is also scheduled to begin in February 2017.
Speaking about the new routes, Craig Richmond, president and CEO of the Vancouver Airport Authority, said: “We are delighted Air Canada is launching two new services from YVR. We truly value Air Canada’s continued commitment to growing YVR as their premier transpacific hub. Taipei and Nagoya are exciting destinations and the new service will be welcomed wholeheartedly by British Columbians.”
