Fleet of four modified Bombardier Global business jets reaches 100,000-flight-hour milestone in service with U.S. Air Force

Press Release from Bombardier Inc.

September 18, 2019 Montréal Business Aircraft,  Press Release

• Specially configured Global aircraft are the backbone of the U.S. Air Force Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program
• All four aircraft were developed and modified by the Bombardier Specialized Aircraft team in Wichita, Kansas
• Bombardier Global business jets, with their long range, wide cabins and outstanding reliability, are the ideal vehicle for elite special missions
• Bombardier develops and delivers a range of capabilities to operators around the world for missions including surveillance, medical evacuations and VIP transport

Bombardier’s Global aircraft platform, renowned in the business aviation industry for range, spaciousness and a smooth ride, has achieved a significant in-service milestone with the U.S. Air Force in special-mission configuration.

A fleet of four modified Global aircraft has collectively flown an impressive 100,000 hours since entering service. These aircraft are an integral part of the Air Force’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program, an airborne communications relay that extends communication ranges, bridges between radio frequencies and “translates” among incompatible communications systems.

Over the course of their mission, BACN aircraft have regularly flown over 18 hours a day for months at a time, demonstrating the excellent dispatch reliability of the Global platform.

 “We are extremely proud of the outstanding reliability and performance of the Global aircraft platform as part of this elite assignment,” said Steve Patrick, Vice President, Bombardier Specialized Aircraft. “This 100,000-flight-hour milestone is a testament to the aircrafts’ performance and endurance, clearly demonstrating that the Global platform excels in demanding situations.”

Starting with one Global Express aircraft in 2007, the BACN fleet today also includes two Global Express XRS variants and one Global 6000 aircraft. The four jets are known in the Air Force as the E-11A.

Bombardier’s Specialized Aircraft team, based in Wichita, Kansas, carried out the modifications of all four jets, and the team continues to provide in-service support and upgrades to the aircraft.

Bombardier has a varied portfolio of business jets that can be readily modified for special missions, and its signature smooth ride can minimize crew fatigue and extend the life of mission equipment. Global aircraft are ideal for critical government missions because of their speed, agility, endurance and low operating costs compared to other aircraft in their class.

The Global 6000 aircraft, with an outstanding range of 6,000 nautical miles*, is recognized for its ability to fly intercontinental ranges without refueling stops, and also for its excellent dispatch reliability. The aircraft also has the most available electrical power in its category for peace of mind on long missions, while the Bombardier Vision flight deck offers a head-up display with enhanced and synthetic vision. 

Big blow for Stephenville Airport after PAL Airlines gives notice of departure

News provided by CBC News – link to full story and updates

Airline says Stephenville service no longer viable, with last flight on Jan. 16

Terry Roberts · CBC News · Sep 18, 2019 6:02 PM NT

PAL Airlines has announced it will discontinue scheduled flights into Stephenville Airport, effective Jan. 16, 2020. (PAL Airlines)

The Stephenville Airport, already struggling to survive, will lose its last remaining year-round commercial air service in January, after PAL Airlines announced Wednesday it is leaving. 

Airline officials were in the town on Newfoundland’s west coast Wednesday morning to meet with representatives of the airport authority, the chamber of commerce and Mayor Tom Rose.

The message?

The service to Stephenville is no longer viable, and PAL Airlines had given its mandatory 120-day notice to the Canadian Transportation Agency that it was pulling out.

That means the final regularly scheduled flight will take place Jan. 16.

Less than 150 passengers this year

Steve Dinn, vice-president of business development with PAL, said business has declined dramatically over the past decade, and practically dried up in more recent years.

Fewer than 150 passengers had boarded PAL flights at Stephenville so far this year, he said.

“Our experience is telling us that most travellers (from the southwest coast) are using Deer Lake (Airport) as the preferred hub,” Dinn said.

Dinn said PAL could have pulled out years ago because the business case for Stephenville had long since evaporated, but he said the company “stubbornly” held on, trying to turn things around.

The company was losing money by continuing to fly into Stephenville, he said.

Dinn said PAL is growing throughout Atlantic Canada, including at Deer Lake. The exception was Stephenville, he said.

“It was not an easy decision,” he said.

Government has to wake up and realize the economic and tourism impact of both interprovincial and intraprovincial air travel.- Tony Wakeham

This latest blow will leave Stephenville without any year-round intraprovincial air services, and the news came as a shock Wednesday to Stephenville-Port au Port MHA Tony Wakeham.

“Stephenville Airport is a significant employer and access point for other destinations,” said Wakeham.

“PAL is currently the anchor tenant at Stephenville Airport, although its scheduled service has continued to erode over the years.”

Wakeham criticized the governing Liberals for being “totally absent” with respect to any air access strategy.

“Government has to wake up and realize the economic and tourism impact of both interprovincial and intraprovincial air travel,” said Wakeham, adding he is “deeply concerned about the very viability of the airport.”

Bombardier Delivers First of Three Global 6000 Business Jets to Join Luftwaffe Fleet

Provided by Bombardier Business Aircraft/Globe Newswire

• Long-range Global 6000 aircraft to fulfill German diplomatic and parliamentary transport requirements
• Delivering best-in-class reliability, leading-edge technology and Bombardier’s signature smooth ride, Global 6000 aircraft are ideal for government missions
  and VIP transport
• Bombardier to deliver two more Global 6000 aircraft for German government use in 2019

MONTREAL, Sept. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bombardier has proudly delivered the first of three Global 6000 business jets destined for use by the Luftwaffe, Germany’s air force.

The Luftwaffe, a longtime Bombardier aircraft operator, will use the Global 6000 business jets to fulfill political and parliamentary transport requirements.

“Bombardier is incredibly pleased that the Luftwaffe will add the Global 6000 aircraft to its fleet,” said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Aviation. “Our Specialized Aircraft team has built longstanding relationships with governments around the world who trust in the safety and performance of our products.”

Bombardier’s Specialized Aircraft division delivers custom solutions to operators, with a diverse portfolio of aircraft that can fly the most demanding and critical missions in various configurations. Bombardier Global aircraft are especially attractive because of their excellent dispatch reliability, speed, agility, endurance and optimized operating costs.

Powered by Rolls-Royce BR710 engines, developed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce Deutschland in Dahlewitz, Germany, the Global 6000 aircraft has enough range for non-stop flights between continents, which is ideal for political and parliamentary transport requirements. The Global 6000 aircraft also delivers a smooth ride that reduces the fatigue of frequent travel for both passengers and crew, while its advanced Bombardier Vision flight deck features a head-up display with both Enhanced and Synthetic Vision for a better pilot experience.

The delivery of the Global 6000 aircraft deepens Bombardier’s substantial ties to Germany, where it is the leading provider of business jets. Bombardier Transportation, a global rail industry leader, is headquartered in Berlin.

Descartes Delivers Industry-leading Real-time Air Freight Tracking Enhancements

Provided by Descartes Systems Group/Globe Newswire

MONTREAL, Sept. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announced that the Descartes Core™ Unit Load Device (ULD) Tracking solution now offers enhanced network performance capabilities and new support for mobile phone applications. The developments provide air carriers with an industry-leading, Bluetooth-enabled solution to automatically monitor the real-time location of international mail, parcel and cargo shipments, whether they are on the ground or in the air.

Descartes Core ULD Tracking helps air carriers automate freight tracking, increase operating efficiencies and improve asset management by providing up-to-the-minute insights into the status of air shipments bundled into a single ULD container. Carriers affix Bluetooth tags, or sensors, to their ULD fleet and connect in real-time connectivity to the ULDs via the Descartes Core Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) network, part of the Descartes Global Logistics Network™ (Descartes GLN™). This gives carriers and their partners on-demand access to accurate location information and other ULD data via online dashboards.

The Descartes Core BLE network has enhanced density, range, resiliency and data gathering capabilities on its mesh relay infrastructure. Combined with sensor improvements designed to increase precision and readability across a broader spectrum of assets, these recent enhancements to Descartes Core ULD Tracking present new visibility performance standards for the industry and offer air carriers the following benefits:

• Extensive network coverage – With infrastructure in 130+ cities and 1,300+ facilities in the majority of the world’s airports across every continent except Antarctica, the solution provides broad and dense coverage of tracking points over a “smarter,” more informative global network. Customers can also achieve a faster return on investment as a larger network shortens implementation timeframes.
   
• High network performance – With thousands of ULD assets to monitor, air carriers can track high volumes of ULDs extremely quickly and accurately using the solution. Each gateway, or reader, in the network can read up to 1,000 tags in one minute, without missing or duplicating tags, even in airport environments where metal objects can interfere with reliable connectivity.
   
• Wide range of sensors – Given the wide variety of goods transported by air, the solution supports different types of sensors that provide insight into ULD location and other attributes such as temperature, motion/shock, humidity, smoke, ingress/egress (to an individual door and time), battery and occupancy for dollies and loaders.
   
• Improved asset management – For greater control over asset inventories, carriers can affix tags not only to containers filled with freight, but also to other ground service equipment such as vehicles, forklifts and other supply chain and delivery machines so they can be tracked as required.
   
• Mobile device integration – In addition to simplifying access to global ULD data via online dashboards, the solution now provides air carriers with the flexibility to use a phone or tablet application to automatically read Bluetooth tags affixed to their assets.

“The scale and reliability of the Descartes network is fundamental to efficiently tracking air cargo,” said Jonathon Dale, Manager Commercial, Cargo Cmcl and Ventures at Air New Zealand. “The latest capabilities allow us to take advantage of the broadest range of coverage available in the industry and capture more data on our pallets and containers, which translates into an even greater level of insight into the real-time movement of air freight for our customers.”

“With nearly one million ULDs currently in service, and traditional time-consuming, error-prone manual practices to manage them, the air industry faces significant impediments to providing better real-time visibility to improve both customer service and inventory management,” said Ian Craig, VP Product Management at Descartes Systems Group. “Our long-standing history of innovation and unequaled reach of the Descartes GLN are helping our customers and partners tackle these issues while further automating and modernizing air freight transportation.”

Descartes is showcasing the enhanced scale and performance of the Descartes Core ULD Tracking solution at the 32nd Annual ULD Care Conference taking place September 16 to 19, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Air New Zealand Automates Real-time Shipment Tracking with the Descartes Core™ ULD Solution

Provided by Descartes Systems Group/Globe Newswire

MONTREAL, Sept. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announced that Air New Zealand, which operates a global network providing passenger and cargo services to, from and within New Zealand, is using the Descartes Core™ Unit Load Device (ULD) Tracking solution to automatically monitor the real-time location of international mail, parcel and cargo shipments while they are in the air and on the ground.

“With the dramatic rise in ecommerce, Air New Zealand is handling a growing volume of air cargo and the industry’s traditional manual practices for tracking freight are no longer sufficient,” said Jonathon Dale, Manager Commercial, Cargo Cmcl and Ventures at Air New Zealand. “With the Descartes system, we now have a digital solution to identify the exact location of an air freight container and the status of its load at any given moment. The ability to continuously and automatically track air freight is a powerful boost to customer service and helps to significantly reduce the costs of air cargo operations.”

A next-generation, Bluetooth-enabled solution, Descartes Core ULD Tracking helps air carriers automate freight tracking, increase operating efficiencies and improve asset management by providing real-time visibility into the location of international mail, parcel and cargo shipments bundled into a single ULD container. Using mobile technology, carriers scan Bluetooth tags affixed to ULDs prior to loading. Whether on the ground or in the air, real-time connectivity to ULDs via the Descartes Core Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) network, part of the Descartes Global Logistics Network™, enables carriers to easily access accurate ULD location information and other data, such as precise temperature, movement (e.g., shock, acceleration and orientation), humidity, light and fire. Tags can also be added to any ground service equipment for full control over a carrier’s equipment.

“We’re pleased to help Air New Zealand modernize its ULD fleet tracking practices,” said Ian Craig, VP, Product Management at Descartes Systems Group. “Descartes has a long-standing history of innovation in the air cargo industry with its air messaging and security filing technologies. Now, with the broadest reach and network coverage in the industry, and the ability to tag and track ULDs in real-time, air carriers have the means to provide customers with the accurate and real-time cargo updates they are demanding in an era where the ability to report on the movement of goods has never been more critical to supply chain operations.”

FLYHT Aerospace Solutions and Environment and Climate Change Canada partnership will deliver crucial weather data

Provided by FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd

Calgary, Alberta – September 18, 2019 – FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. (TSX-V: FLY) (OTCQX: FLYLF) (the “Company” or “FLYHT”) is pleased to announce a new contract, following the issuance of an advanced contract notice for the acquisition and delivery of Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) data by FLYHT and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

FLYHT & the ECCC have entered into a contract whereby FLYHT collects and delivers upper air meteorological data from Canadian commercial aircraft to be used for data quality testing purposes.  This testing will be conducted by ECCC-Meteorological Service of Canada’s (MSC) Canadian Center for Meteorological and Environmental Prediction (CCMEP).

In the first phase of the contract, valued at CAD$63,000, specialized AMDAR software (which measures temperature and wind on commercial aircraft) will be installed and run on FLYHT’s Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS^TM) Satellite Communication System, accessing information from the aircraft data bus and preparing specially encoded messages for transmission to the Meteorological Service. The estimated total value of the contract, including options, is CAD$166,000.

The ECCC launches weather balloons equipped with a radiosonde, a package of electronics, sensors and batteries to capture weather data. This weather data is augmented by a variety of satellite and other data sources for use in weather forecasting. The AMDAR data collected by FLYHT’S AFIRS system provides additional key aircraft-based weather data which has been proven to greatly improve forecasting accuracy.

AMDAR data differs from Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Reporting (TAMDAR^TM) data. AMDAR data is collected strictly from sensors such as air speed indicators and temperature probes which are part of the aircraft when it is manufactured. TAMDAR is a sensor deployed by FLYHT that is purpose-built and installed on aircraft to capture additional environmental data such as relative humidity, icing and turbulence.

“We are excited to see this partnership come to fruition and keen to see how our different real-time collection systems can make a positive impact,” said FLYHT’s Chief Executive Officer Thomas R. Schmutz, “FLYHT’s unique ability to capture, process, and transmit weather data in real-time should be very useful for the CCMEP. We hope to ultimately augment our services with the TAMDAR reporting system. This could supplement the overall weather balloon program, increase forecast accuracy and reduce overall program costs in the long term.”

Depending on the level of AMDAR compatibility with the various airlines/aircraft of interest, the work required to obtain and deliver the data will be conducted in phases. Additional services options may be exercised to expand and continue data supply for the longer term, pending data quality testing results.

Canada approves Pacific Coastal to serve US as WestJet Link

News provided by FlightGlobal.com – link to full story

18 September 2019 by Pilar Wolfsteller, Flight Global, San Francisco

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has approved Pacific Coastal Airlines’ application to operate WestJet feeder flights between the Canada and the United States.

The 3 September approval could mark a step by WestJet toward additional US flying, but the carrier did not respond to requests for more information.

Vancouver-based Pacific Coastal, which operates a fleet of 34-seat Saab 340Bs, currently serves smaller regional airports in western Canada including Lethbridge, Lloydminster, Medicine Hat and Prince George as part of the WestJet network.

The carrier began flying for WestJet in June 2019, connecting WestJet’s Calgary hub with smaller cities in British Columbia and Alberta.

WestJet Link’s latest route, once-daily service between Vancouver and Cranbrook, is its sixth and will be launched in October.

Lone Boeing 737 Max criss-crossed Canada for pilot checks during grounding

News provided by The Globe and Mail – link to full story & audio, plus updates

by ALLISON LAMPERT AND TIM HEPHER, MONTREAL/PARIS REUTERS PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Two Air Canada Boeing 737 Max 8 aircrafts are seen on the ground as Air Canada Embraer aircraft flies in the background at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Toronto on March 13, 2019.CHRIS HELGREN/REUTERS

While the world’s Boeing 737 Max fleet remains grounded after two fatal crashes, a solitary Air Canada plane has been spotted in the skies, shuttling between Quebec and Ontario.

In a rare exemption, approved by Canadian aviation regulator Transport Canada, the 11 flights in August and September were partly to maintain the qualifications of senior training pilots, Air Canada told Reuters in response to a query about flight tracking data.

A spokesman for Air Canada said the airline was not able to use similar 737s within its fleet “to maintain check pilot authority in alignment with (Canadian aviation regulations)”.

“So we are utilizing the 737 Max during planned maintenance movements to maintain qualification.”

Between Aug 28 and Sept 8, the Air Canada Max plane criss-crossed between Montreal, Val d’Or, Quebec and North Bay, Ontario, data from Tracking website FlightRadar24 shows.

Then last week, it was flown to Pinal Airpark in Arizona to be parked in a desert storage site.

Although unusual after the grounding imposed worldwide in March amid concerns over an anti-stall system, the flights highlight growing pressures facing some airlines as they prepare for the return to service of the 400-plane Boeing fleet.

The planes have been sitting idle since March following two crashes in the space of five months.

For airlines like Air Canada, which did not have earlier versions of Boeing 737s in their fleets, this has made it difficult to make sure pilots can demonstrate the skills required to retain their licenses.

As North America’s sole Max operator which had not flown the earlier 737NG, Air Canada cannot use that model to maintain the qualifications of its check or trainer pilots, the company said.

So regulator Transport Canada authorized a select group of Air Canada’s check pilots to fly the grounded jet, which was also conducting maintenance flights, the airline said.

All the jets have the same control software suspected of contributing to the accidents, which Boeing is now in the process of revising to smooth its impact. However, some pilots have said existing procedures can prevent similar accidents.

Boeing declined to comment.

MARKET BATTLE

Transport Canada said in an e-mail that it authorized the flights “because the carrier does not operate the Boeing 737 NG aircraft, but the pilots still need to maintain currency.”

However, one U.S. carrier questioned by Reuters said such flights would not be possible in the United States where pilot training was not included in a list of exemptions to the ban issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Pilot currency isn’t a listed exemption in the U.S. order,” an FAA spokeswoman confirmed.

North American Max operators, including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Canada’s WestJet Airlines, said they would only move their Max jets for maintenance and storage purposes.

Air Canada’s position as a newly-converted 737 operator follows a seven-year battle between Boeing and Airbus over the introduction of airplanes offering bold new fuel savings.

The introduction of the Max, an upgrade of earlier 737 models with advanced new engines, coincided with a bitter contest for market share between Boeing and Europe’s Airbus, which was offering its similar A320neo.

The feud saw both plane makers use the transition to a new generation of jets to try to poach each other’s customers, and traders said Air Canada’s 2013 decision to switch from Airbus’s A320 family to Boeing’s 737 Max stood out as a major defection.

Now, the decision to switch suppliers potentially weighs on some of those same airlines as they cope without a 737 fleet.

Boeing has predicted that the 737 Max will be cleared to take passengers early next quarter.

The FAA, facing growing international scrutiny over its certification processes, has said it cannot give a precise date for the approval of software and training changes carried out in the wake of the two accidents, which killed 346 people.

FAA chief Stephen Dickson plans to fly to Seattle this week to test modified 737 Max software in a simulator.

IAM Local Lodge 11 workers locked out by Avcorp Industries in Delta, B.C.

Provided by International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

DELTA, BC, Sept. 17, 2019 /CNW/ – Approximately 300 workers, members of IAM Local Lodge 11, were locked out by Avcorp Industries at 10:00 pm Monday evening. The company offered no rationale, but simply served the union notice and proceeded with the lockout.

The union and the company have been in bargaining since early January 2019, with about 25 full days of negotiations. Avcorp’s first offer was rejected by the worker by a margin of 100% – a rarity these days. They then conducted a strike vote, with the employees voting 100% in favour of a strike.

The parties went to three days of mediation, but there was no resolution, which prompted the company to apply for a Government-Supervised Final Offer Vote. It was conducted by the BC Labour Board over three days in July and August. The members rejected it by a 98% margin.

“The two main issues are contracting out and seniority retention,” said IAM District 250 Business Representative Paul Pelletreau, who also worked at Avcorp for many years. “Aerospace is cyclical work, and the workers want to know that if they are laid off, they maintain their seniority,” he said. “A laid-off worker can have worked for 5 years, be laid off and then return and have to apply as if they had never worked there – it’s just wrong,” he concluded.

Avcorp Industries has, over the years, purchased facilities in Burlington, ON and Gardena, CA. The union is not asking for substantive changes in the contracting-out language, but simply to account for the two newer facilities. Members want to be assured that their jobs are protected, when layoffs occur to have recall rights which provide them with some dignity. The IAM is committed to keeping good aerospace jobs in Canada.

In many cases, when IAM members at Avcorp are laid-off, their recall rights expire and they must start again as new employees, losing all wage levels and accrued benefits. The last recall forced workers to take a pay cut of almost $4 per hour. A layoff period can last anywhere from two to four years. Similar work of this high-skilled trade is unavailable in the Delta area.

Local Lodge 11 represents some 450 men and women who work in the aerospace trades at Avcorp Industries in Delta, British Columbia. They joined the IAM in April 1975.

The IAM in Canada represents more than 40,000 Canadian workers in air transport and a wide range of manufacturing including aircraft, auto parts, buses, aerospace, electronics, light and heavy machinery, tools and appliances.

SOURCE International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

Air Canada To Begin Year-Round Flights From Montreal to Bogotá, Colombia

Provided by Air Canada

• Bogotá represents Air Canada’s 39th new route launched from Montreal since 2012, 12th new route since 2017
• Complements Toronto-Bogotá service

MONTREAL, Sept. 18, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ – Air Canada today announced the introduction of new year-round service between Montreal and Bogotá, Colombia beginning June 2, 2020. Flights will operate three times weekly onboard Air Canada Rouge Boeing 767-300ER aircraft offering a choice of premium and economy service.

Special introductory fares start as low as $795 round-trip, all in, and tickets are now available for purchase at aircanada.com or through travel agents.

Air Canada today announced the introduction of new year-round service between Montreal and Bogotá, Colombia beginning June 2, 2020 (CNW Group/Air Canada)

“We are very pleased to offer the only non-stop, year-round flights connecting Montreal and Bogotá, two vibrant cities steeped in history and culture. This new route complements our existing Toronto-Bogotá service, and positions Air Canada as a significant player linking the growing markets between Montreal and Colombia’s capital and largest city. The addition of Bogotá represents Air Canada’s 39^th new route launched from Montreal-Trudeau Airport since 2012, firmly illustrating our commitment to developing Montreal as an important, strategic hub. Bogotá is also strategically situated to allow for seamless travel across South America through Star Alliance partner Avianca,” said Mark Galardo, Vice President of Network Planning at Air Canada.

“For several years now, Aéroports de Montréal has been wanting to improve service from YUL to destinations in South America. While a flight to Sao Paolo will be inaugurated in a few weeks, Air Canada is doubling the stakes by adding this new direct connection to Bogotá, Colombia,” said Philippe Rainville, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal. “In addition to greatly facilitating air travel for members of Montreal’s very large Colombian community, this announcement once again affirms YUL’s role as a hub for international air traffic. We are confident that this destination will be extremely popular with travellers. And we thank our partner Air Canada who is sparing no effort to continue improving the range of destinations offered from Montreal.”

“This is a very exciting announcement. We are looking forward to connecting our capital city with Montreal, the global leader in digital art and creativity, which will further advance the growth of the creative industries sector in Colombia. This new route will also enable a greater number of Canadians to experience 21st century Colombia; a vibrant country that stands out for its opportunities in innovation and entrepreneurship, and for its unparalleled offer of sustainable tourism,” said Federico Hoyos, Colombia’s Ambassador to Canada.

“More excellent news for Montreal, its economic dynamism and international influence. The announcement of this year-round service between our city and Bogotá will be positive for Montrealers and we are delighted,” said Robert Beaudry, head of economic development, trade and housing on the City of Montreal’s executive committee.

“This new flight consolidates Montreal’s position as a hub, with openness and international accessibility. This is excellent news for developing the South American market, which has grown by more than 50% in recent years. Tourisme Montréal salutes the efforts of Air Canada. This new direct air link will undoubtedly be a tourism and economic success for Montreal, confirming its status as a gateway to Canada,” said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.

Flight	Departs	Arrives	Days of Week
AC1952	Montreal 22:45	Bogotá 04:15 + 1 day	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
AC1953	Bogotá 09:00	Montreal 16:20	Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

Flights are timed to optimize connectivity to and from Air Canada’s extensive network at its Montreal hub. In addition, flights are timed to connect to Star Alliance partner Avianca’s network to other destinations including Medellin, Cartagena, Cali, Lima, Cuzco, Guayaquil and Quito.

Customers can also collect and redeem Aeroplan Miles through Canada’s leading loyalty program when travelling with Air Canada, and eligible customers have access to priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounges, priority boarding and other benefits.