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TORONTO: Air Canada on Wednesday officially announced four weekly Toronto-Delhi non-stop flights from November 1.
The flight will leave Toronto at 8.55PM on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and leave Delhi at 00.45AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The flight time from Toronto to Delhi is 13 hours and 15 minutes.
With this new flight, Air Canada also becomes the first airline to operate the new 787-9 Dreamliner to India from North America.
Making this announcement here amid Bollywood songs and dance, Air Canada vice-president Duncan Bureau said Air Canada stopped its flights to New Delhi via Europe in 2007 because they were not profitable.
“But the very efficient new Boing Dreamliner has changed the economics of flying to India. This non-stop flight will be a big success. There has been a huge response to this flight,’’ he said at the launch event.
Vijay Bathija, Air Canada vice president (commercial), said, “This first non-stop flight between Canada and India will be the best deal for passengers. First, they save up to six hours of time and land in Delhi after flying for just 13 hours and 15 minutes. Second, the cost per unit is lower. Our much more comfortable economy class costs between $1,100 and $1,300. The business class comes between $2,000 and $3,000, but with cushy `super diamond’ seats. The benefits for passengers are unbeatable. It is the best deal.’’
The Indian-origin vice president of Air Canada added, “Since 2007 when Air Canada stopped flying to India, the traffic between India and Canada has grown and matured because there are now various kinds of traffic – more business class and first-class traffic. Then there is the fuel efficient Dreamliner which also offers 8 percent more oxygen to passengers and you won’t be tired when you land in Delhi. We are at the right time with the right aircraft and the right traffic.”
With Toronto airport becoming the major international hub, Vijay Bajitha said, “Passengers flying from India will have connections to 60 destinations in the US and 50 in Canada.’’
Interestingly, Toronto – the fourth biggest city in North America with the biggest concentration of the Indian diaspora anywhere in the world – is not served by Air India.
India’s national carrier stopped its flights from Toronto in 2012, citing financial losses even when Jet Airways is running its flights via Brussels.
