The official airline and flag carrier of Canada, Air Canada was founded in 1936. The corporate headquarters are in Montreal and Quebec, while the largest hub is at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Ontario. This airline is recognized as the world’s ninth largest passenger airline by the size of its fleet. It serves up to 35 million passengers annually, making it the largest airline serving the Canada-US trans-border market. Over the years, it has managed to win several prestigious awards, including the Best North American Airline for two consecutive years in 2013 and 2014. It was also named Canada’s preferred airline by frequent Canadian business travelers in September 2014. In addition, it was recognized as the Best Airline in North America for the fifth year running at the World Airline Awards in July 2014.
The Fleet
The airline has a large fleet comprising of Airbus, Embraer and Boeing aircraft in almost every size. As of 2014, the fleet consisted of a total of 205 aircrafts, although several additions are expected by 2019.
Destination
The airline travels to 21 domestic destinations and close to 80 international destinations, including Asia, Europe, Oceania and America. The most popular routes and holiday destinations include Canada to Hong Kong, Houston, London, Bermuda, Toronto, Lima, Chicago, Las Vegas, Montreal, Paris and San Francisco. It connects various parts of the US to Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Los Angeles and New York. Other international destinations include Tokyo, Beijing, Mexico and Sydney.
In Flight Entertainment
The in flight entertainment system has been created to make your ride relaxing and pleasurable. Passengers have close to 600 hours of in flight entertainment to choose from, with up to 150 movies, 100 music albums and 200 TV shows. Business class travelers are treated to in flight dining, with a selection of juices, soft drinks beer, wine, coffee and delicious meals. For economy class passengers, the Air Canada Café offers a variety of snacks and beverages, and even complete meals. Such services are applicable on flights that are more than 90 minutes long.
Check in and Ground Facilities
Passengers have the advantage of web check in from 24 hours to a few hours before the flight is scheduled to depart. Those who arrive early can wait to check in at Maple Leaf Lounges that are located across airports in Canada and other key destinations. Here, passengers can enjoy free snacks and drinks, along with alcoholic and aerated beverages. There is also a wide selection of magazines and newspapers to keep you occupied.
Online Booking and Baggage
Passengers can conveniently get flight tickets via online booking. It is essential to know that the weight of carry-on baggage has to be less than 10 kgs and under 23 cm x 40 cm x 55 cm. The checked baggage weight allowance varies according to class and is generally between 20 to 30 kgs for most destinations.