Explore Europe in 2017 with Air Canada

New services connect YVR to Frankfurt and London

RICHMOND, BC, Nov. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Air Canada announced new, non-stop seasonal daily service to Frankfurt (FRA) and three-times weekly service to London Gatwick (LGW) for the summer of 2017. These new services will further expand Air Canada's international hub at YVR and will provide passengers with exciting new travel possibilities.

 "What an amazing year it has been for Air Canada and YVR," said Craig Richmond, President & CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority. "I want to thank Air Canada for continuing to grow its international hub out of YVR and delivering a steady stream of excellent new services. Air Canada's new non-stop services to Frankfurt and Gatwick will further expand this award-winning airline's reach into key European markets and will provide incredible benefits for our passengers, partners and communities."

Air Canada will launch service between YVR and Frankfurt Airport on June 1, 2017 on Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft, featuring 20 International Business Class individual lie-flat suites, 21 Premium Economy seats and 210 Economy Class seats. Air Canada Rouge will launch service to London Gatwick on June 8 on a Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft featuring premium and economy cabins.  

"Air Canada continues to strategically increase its European flights at YVR with seasonal daily flights to Frankfurt next summer and three times weekly flights to London Gatwick," said Benjamin Smith, Air Canada President, Passenger Airlines. "The addition of our flights to Frankfurt, one of Europe's most important hubs, offers customers a wide array of convenient choices and the ease of one-stop connections with our Star Alliance partner Lufthansa when travelling to southern, central and eastern Europe as well as Africa, the Middle East and beyond."

"We will be the only airline flying non-stop between YVR and the two largest airports in the London metropolitan region during the peak summer travel period with the addition of London Gatwick. By next summer, Air Canada will serve five European destinations non-stop from YVR including two significant hubs, Frankfurt and London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Dublin, and on a code-share basis with joint venture partner Lufthansa Munich, strengthening YVR as an important hub that connects our B.C., Western Canada and U.S. routes to our expanding international network," concluded Mr. Smith.

These new services will create more than 254 jobs at YVR and throughout British Columbia and will add an additional $12.3 million in Gross Domestic Product, $4.2 million in taxes and $7.7 million in wages.

New services such as this are made possible thanks to YVR's new five-year rates and charges program, ConnectYVR. The program provides a highly competitive rate structure and includes rates lower than any other major airport in Canada and competing US airports.

- YVR -

ABOUT VANCOUVER AIRPORT AUTHORITY

Vancouver Airport Authority is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that manages Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Canada's second busiest airport, YVR served more than 20.3 million passengers in 2015. Fifty-four airlines serve YVR, connecting people and businesses to more than 120 non-stop destinations worldwide. In 2016, YVR received CAPA Centre for Aviation's prestigious Airport of the Year Award and was voted Best Airport in North America for the seventh consecutive year in the Skytrax World Airport Awards. Vancouver Airport Authority is a dedicated community partner and in 2015 donated more than $900,000 to local organizations. We are committed to creating an airport that British Columbia can be proud of: a premier global gateway, local economic generator and community contributor. For more information, please visit www.yvr.ca.

SOURCE Vancouver Airport Authority

YVR Media Relations, [email protected], 604-880-9815, @yvrairport