Air Canada rouge starts service from Toronto to Montego Bay with 50% more seats; double digit growth to Jamaica

TORONTO, Nov. 1, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada rouge today launches its new service from Toronto to Montego Bay. Air Canada rouge's service, with a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, increases the number of seats per week previously offered by Air Canada last winter by 50 %. The new service features 3 comfort seating options: rouge, rouge Plus and Premium rouge. Between Air Canada rouge's service to Montego Bay and Kingston, Air Canada rouge and Air Canada's capacity to the vacation island is increasing by double digits from Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. 

The convenient Montego Bay daily flights will depart Toronto at 9 am arriving Montego Bay at 12:05 pm, then departing Montego Bay at 1:20 pm arriving in Toronto at 6:25 pm.  All times are local.

"We are pleased to be launching Montego Bay service and, in doing so, significantly growing our capacity to Jamaica, with continued growth over the coming year," said Michael Friisdahl, President & CEO of the Air Canada Leisure Group.  "Montego Bay service builds on our winter 2013/14 (5 times weekly) Kingston service announced earlier this year. Jamaica has great appeal as a vacation destination and together with Air Canada, we look forward to continuous growth between Canada and Jamaica over the coming two years."

Air Canada rouge, together with Air Canada, offers service to Jamaica from various Canadian gateways.  Several of the routes have significant double digit growth over the previous winter season:

• Operated by Air Canada rouge:
  Toronto - Montego Bay              + 50%
  Toronto - Kingston                     + 24%

• Operated by Air Canada:
  Montreal - Montego Bay          + 30%
  Ottawa - Montego Bay             +20%

Air Canada capacity to Jamaica from Halifax and Winnipeg remains similar to last year. 

Friisdahl added: "Air Canada Vacations has invested in building long term supplier relationships with many Jamaican hotels and resorts and with Air Canada rouge now onboard, we will continue to seek out new partnerships that offer outstanding vacation choices to travellers of all ages and interests." 

Choose from over 40 hotels in Jamaica with Air Canada Vacations

Air Canada Vacations offers up to 19 weekly non-stop flights to Montego Bay and Kingston from Toronto onboard Air Canada rouge, and from Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax and Winnipeg with Air Canada. With several properties to choose from, many of which offer wedding and honeymoon packages, Air Canada Vacations offers travellers a relaxed atmosphere with charming beaches and delicious food.

"This significant capacity growth out of Toronto supports Air Canada Vacations' targeted growth plans for Jamaica," said Eamonn Ferrin, President, Air Canada Vacations. "We have strong partnerships in the Jamaica hotel and resort market now and plan to build on these and add more to offer the best possible choices for our customers' Jamaica vacations."

Air Canada Vacations has enjoyed a long term partnership with Sandals and Beaches, whose resorts feature prominently in the tour company's existing Jamaica program and its plans for future growth. Customers booking Beaches Ocho Rios Resort & Golf Club and Sandals Royal Plantation, Ocho Rios, Jamaica can now take advantage of shorter transfer times by flying into Kingston on Air Canada rouge. 

Many resorts offer the exclusive Privileges program, with such added values as early check-in/late check out, guaranteed à la carte reservations, preferred room locations and much more. Most resorts are all-inclusive, including all meals, drinks, sports and activities, making for a hassle-free vacation. With 40 resorts, Air Canada Vacations has something for everyone including the popular Bahia Principe, located on Runaway Bay, and couples will appreciate the romantic sunset of Negril Beach or experience one of Jamaica's national treasures, the Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios.

Air Canada Vacations introduces its latest Jamaican destination this winter, the lush mountainous region of Port Antonio, providing even more reasons to get excited about the Jamaican island experience.

Air Canada Vacations packages include airfare, accommodation for 3 to 29 nights, return transfers from airport to hotel and the service of an Air Canada Vacations representative.

Air Canada rouge onboard experience

Air Canada rouge will operate the Toronto-Montego Bay route with a 264-seat wide-body Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft featuring three types of seating: rouge has 232 rouge seats in a 2 + 3 + 2 configuration with a 30-32" pitch and a 6" recline. The 14 rouge Plus seats are in the rouge cabin and offer preferred seating with extended legroom. Premium rouge has 18 seats in a 2 + 2 + 2 configuration with a 41- 42" pitch and a 7" inch recline.

Air Canada rouge crew offer the airline's unique warm welcome onboard. Trained in customer service excellence, rouge crew take every measure to ensure that flights are relaxed, enjoyable and are part of a memorable start and end to a Jamaican vacation. 

A tasty selection of meals, drinks and snacks, as well as comfort items such as pillows, blankets and headphones, are available onboard through Air Canada rouge's Buy On Board service.

Air Canada rouge aircraft are all equipped with player, a next generation in-flight entertainment system that streams unlimited live entertainment -- including movies, TV shows, kids programming, music and an About Us section -- to customers' personal electronic devices. Air Canada rouge is one of the first airlines in North America to offer streaming onboard content. player is offered at a nominal fee of $5 for rouge and rouge Plus customers for unlimited movie and TV show access; music and destination content are always complimentary. Customers simply need to bring their own fully-charged laptop or iPad, iPod or iPhone, or they can rent an iPad on board for $10. 

Travel with Air Canada rouge brings a host of Air Canada benefits: a global reputation for safety and reliability; an extensive connector network; easy online booking through www.aircanada.com (or book through any travel agent); convenient check in options; generous baggage allowances; and the opportunity to earn and redeem Aeroplan Miles http://www.aircanada.com/rouge/en/flying_with_us.html  

"We're offering the best value in the industry. With Air Canada rouge and Air Canada vacations you really can vacation ahead." Friisdahl said.

About Air Canada rouge
Together with Air Canada Vacations, Air Canada rouge offers competitively-priced travel to exciting leisure destinations in Europe and the Caribbean, Mexico and the U.S.: Edinburgh, Venice, Athens, Lisbon, Dublin, Nice, Barcelona and Manchester and multiple destinations in Mexico, the U.S. and the Caribbean such as Cuba, Costa Rica, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary, Air Canada rouge is backed by Air Canada's 75-year reputation for safety and reliability and Air Canada Vacations' 30-plus year history of vacation travel excellence.

Air Canada rouge began operating July 1, 2013 with a start-up fleet of two Airbus A319 aircraft and two Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. The fleet will grow to ten aircraft by the end of 2013 with the addition of six Airbus A319 aircraft by December 2013 and an additional six Airbus A319 aircraft by April 2014, for a total of 16 aircraft by the end of the 2013-2014 winter season. Learn more at www.aircanada.com/rouge or www.facebook.com/aircanadarouge.

About Air Canada Vacations

Air Canada Vacations is a leading Canadian tour operator offering a wide selection of vacation packages to destinations across Mexico & the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, Canada and the U.S.A. and is a repeat recipient of the Consumer's Choice Award for favourite Travel Wholesaler. Air Canada Vacations offers convenient connectors from 65 Canadian cities, Executive Class® and Premium rouge service, on-demand entertainment from gate to gate on many flights, mobile app, web and mobile check-in and Aeroplan® Miles.

Visit aircanadavacations.com for more information.

SOURCE: Air Canada rouge

Media contact:
Jill Wykes
Communications, Air Canada Leisure Group
416 543-6836
[email protected]