- Multimodal pilot project with The Landline Company to link
Hamilton and Region of Waterloo
airports to Toronto Pearson
- Premium, Canadian built motorcoaches are fully accessible
and offer spacious leather seats with power outlets, complementary
WiFi
- Seamless connectivity with full itinerary protection,
baggage transfers, Aeroplan point earning
MONTREAL, Feb. 21,
2024 /CNW/ - Air Canada today announced that it has
partnered with The Landline Company to connect airports in
Hamilton and Waterloo Region with
the airline's Toronto Pearson global hub. Customers will be able to
book a single itinerary combining a luxury motorcoach service
with Air Canada flights for a seamless, convenient and more
sustainable journey. Now available for booking, the multimodal
service will begin operating as a pilot project from John C. Munro
Hamilton International Airport and
the Region of Waterloo International Airport in May 2024, with the potential to make it available
elsewhere in Canada in the
future.
"Air Canada is focused on
improving regional services and through this innovative partnership
with The Landline Company, we are connecting communities and
extending our network by offering customers a convenient,
stress-free multimodal option," said Alexandre Lefevre, Vice President Network
Planning, North America, and
Scheduling, at Air Canada. "Customers travelling between airports
on Landline's premium motorcoaches will enjoy the same benefits as
those making air-only connections, including the convenience of a
single itinerary, through-checked baggage when departing
Hamilton or Region of Waterloo,
disruption protection and Aeroplan earning opportunities. We will
look to further expand our regional network in Canada through our Landline partnership, as it
also advances our sustainability programs by potentially removing
tens of thousands of vehicles from the road each year."
"We are proud to partner with Air Canada to provide seamless
connections to their world class Toronto gateway. Every day, thousands of
customers face a stressful, time consuming journey from
Hamilton and Waterloo Region to
Toronto Pearson airport," said Nick
Johnson, Vice President, Commercial for Landline, which
is based in Colorado. "Customers
will love letting Landline and Air Canada do the driving for them,
enjoying a connected experience while relaxing on one of our luxury
motorcoaches."
How it works
Landline will operate six, non-stop round trips daily to Toronto
Pearson from each of the Hamilton
and Region of Waterloo airports in southern Ontario. Air Canada customers beginning their journey at
Hamilton or Region of Waterloo
airports will check in as normal for their flight and obtain
boarding passes for all segments of their trip. At a designated
departure point at the local airport, they will board a luxury, Air
Canada-branded motorcoach and their checked baggage will be
loaded. Upon arrival at Toronto Pearson, customers will proceed
directly through security screening, while checked bags will be
automatically transferred to the onward connecting flight.
In the event of coach or flight delays, customers travelling on
Landline will be automatically offered the same protections as
customers travelling on air-only itineraries. Members of Air
Canada's Aeroplan program will earn points for both ground and air
segments, as on any normal connecting flight itinerary. For more
information see www.aircanada.com/landline
Premium motorcoaches
The motorcoaches used by Landline for Air Canada are made in
Canada by Prevost, a manufacturer of touring coaches
based in Sainte-Claire, Quebec.
Each Landline motorcoach provides a premium experience, with 36
spacious, leather seats in a two-by-one configuration. The coaches
are equipped with free WiFi, power and a table tray available at
each seat, generous overhead storage for carry-on baggage, and an
onboard lavatory. Announcements will be made in both Official
Languages and the coaches are fully accessible, including a power
lift for customers requiring mobility aids.
"We're very excited about this
partnership between Air Canada and our customer Landline,
and proud to be able to offer them the comfort and
quality that Prevost is known for.
These new coach routes will enable them to serve their
passengers by providing safe transportation adapted to their needs.
For us, this new partnership ensures a solution that meets the
current and future needs of the airline industry by giving them the
opportunity to connect more of their regional customers to their
major hubs," said François Tremblay, president of Prevost and Volvo Group Canada.
Air Canada Regional
Services
Air Canada operates to 40
communities across Canada,
including in partnership with regional carriers Jazz Aviation LP
and PAL Airlines. Through its innovative new partnership with
Landline, Air Canada is extending its regional network to
conveniently connect local airports directly to its global network.
There is potential to further expand the partnership with Landline
to connect with other regional airports in Canada at a future date.
"We are excited to partner with Air Canada and The
Landline Company to deliver this innovative, convenient,
hassle-free travel option to passengers travelling from
Hamilton International Airport,"
said Cole Horncastle, Executive
Managing Director of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport.
"Being able to connect into Air Canada's global network
via a luxury motorcoach service opens up access to dozens of
exciting new destinations while providing the consistent customer
experience our passengers know and trust."
"This innovative service by Air Canada and Landline opens up a
world of opportunities, allowing our Waterloo Region community to
easily access a wider array of destinations and meaningful
experiences both within Canada and
internationally. We look forward to welcoming both new and
returning travelers to YKF through this exciting partnership," said
Karen Redman, Chair of the Region of
Waterloo.
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag
carrier and a founding member of Star
Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation
network. Air Canada provides
scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in
Canada, the United States and Internationally on six
continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air
Canada's Aeroplan program is
Canada's premier travel loyalty
program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's
largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an
extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners.
Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than
any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations
worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day
tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo,
provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of
destinations across six continents using Air Canada's passenger and
freighter aircraft. Air Canada aims to achieve an ambitious
net zero emissions goal from all global operations by
2050. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in
Canada and the OCTQX in the
US.
About The
Landline Company
The biggest airlines in the world trust Landline to power their
first and last mile connectivity. Landline's industry-first
platform allows airlines to leverage the seamlessness and
affordability of ground transportation to add dynamic new routes to
their network without sacrificing on quality or customer
experience. Landline operates seamless multi-modal networks on
behalf of Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Sun
Country Airlines. Landline is fundamentally reshaping the way every
consumer thinks about the travel day by making air travel
multi-modal. Visit landlineco.com for more information.
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