travel

Air Canada to boost Calgary-Narita flights; delay Vancouver-Haneda launch

9 Comments

Air Canada is boosting its Calgary-Tokyo non-stop flights in response to strong demand after introducing the new route last summer. The airline will increase its existing schedule to five weekly flights from three effective March 26, as it takes steps toward continuing the non-stop service on a year-round basis, subject to obtaining the necessary approvals in Japan.

"Demand for Air Canada's non-stop Calgary-Tokyo Narita service has been strong from business and leisure travelers, as well as freight forwarders. We are very pleased after just one season operating the only scheduled direct service between Alberta and Asia to be able to increase flights on this route," said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.

"Service to Narita offers a multitude of connecting flights with our Star Alliance partners to key destinations throughout Asia including Hong Kong, Manila, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei and several points across Japan. This is a good example of how we can work well with the business and tourism communities to achieve success in some markets. With the support of the Calgary business community, the Calgary Airport Authority, Travel Alberta and our travel partners, we look forward to being able to maintain a year-round schedule, pending approvals in Japan."

As a result of lower than expected demand for the planned Vancouver-Tokyo Haneda non-stop flights offering point-to-point service between the two cities, the launch of that route will now be delayed until more convenient arrival and departure times can be obtained that would enable customers to connect to flights at Haneda for onward travel to points within Japan and throughout Asia.

Calgary-Narita non-stop service complements Air Canada's daily year-round Vancouver-Tokyo Narita and Toronto-Tokyo Narita non-stop flights, both operated with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. This summer, the carrier will offer 19 flights each week from Canada to Tokyo's Narita International Airport.

Air Canada's increased scheduled of Calgary-Tokyo flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, departing Calgary at 12:45 p.m. arriving in Narita the following day at 2:25 p.m. Flights will depart Narita on Monday's, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 4:00 p.m., arriving Calgary same day at 10:40 a.m.

Air Canada operates its Calgary-Tokyo flights with fully refurbished 211-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft offering a choice of Economy Class and Executive First service featuring 24 lie-flat bed suites.

© Japan Today

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9 Comments
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I'm kind of glad they are delaying the Haneda-Vancouver launch because when I looked into going back to Winnipeg this June for an anniversary, the only flights that were available were departing after midnight in Haneda, arriving about 5am in Vancouver, and then waiting all day for a flight to Winnipeg! It didn't make sense, but those were the only cheap flights available, UNLESS I wanted to travel through the US. But flying from Japan, through US to central Canada takes a very long time, and is not pleasant at all going through the US border patrol in Detroit, etc. Not pleasant at all...

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EbiChiri - If you ask a travel agent in Canada to do the booking for you, they can get it all done months in advance. I learned this trick years ago when, no matter how hard I tried from here in Japan, I was told that the flight prices and schedules were "not yet released". I always had to wait until about 1-2 months before I wanted to fly to get anything. Then my parents' travel agent emailed me and said they could easily book for me. I just pay them, instead of the travel agents here. It works much better, and you have a lot less stress waiting to see if seats will ever come available.

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Great plan. I'm from Calgary and can never get a seat on those direct flights. Maybe finally I'll get a seat but I doubt it as travel companies block buy the seats and nothing remains even months in advance.

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Kansai is a joke! Only when either the Americans relocate all of Okinawa up to KIX etc..with it have a chance to survive or get cheap Chinese carriers to use KIX as some kind of refueling landing zone, other wise Japan is Narita and Japan is also becoming Haneda a 2 airport country.

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Perhaps if Air Canada had decent services, they would have the passengers and wouldn't have had to cancel the Kansai and Nagoya flights. Never ONCE got my bags on the vancouver to Osaka flight in the years I flew that route. Horrible service and I wouldn't suggest Air Canada to anyone.

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Doh! This is going to irk Maehara!

They still need a direct flight from Japan (Kansai) to Canada... it's ridiculous they have NOTHING now. All these stupid international airports being created and then international flights being cut.

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Indeed, there was a KIX-YVR flight on Air Canada for quite a few years but it, along with the route from Nagoya were cancelled.

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Unfortunately not nearly enough demand to justify a Kansai route. If anything expect a further shift away from intercontinental routes in/out of Kansai.

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Would really love a Kansai - Western Canada (Vancouver/Calgray) flight...

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