Airbus Express? Air Canada Set To Connect Montreal & Toulouse

Air Canada has announced a strategic expansion of its international network for summer 2023, adding services to Brussels, Toulouse, and Copenhagen.

International expansion

Of the three new European destinations announced, the most peculiar is Toulouse. Cirium's Diio Mi schedule analyzer states that Toulouse has only seen North American flights from Air Transat from Montreal since 2004. In the past eighteen years, no other North American Airline has launched service to Toulouse, so why is Air Canada doing so now? Air Canada provided Simple Flying with the following statement,

"Our Toulouse-Montreal route not only links two global aerospace centres, it is the only year-round service between North America and southwestern France. With our unparalleled North American network that radiates from our Montreal hub, Air Canada’s Toulouse route will support local tourism and hospitality sectors as customers between both countries and beyond reconnect, visit and explore the history, art and culture of both cities. Customers can start planning ahead and book with confidence. We look forward to welcoming you onboard.” - Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President Network Planning and Revenue Management, Air Canada

A differing factor for Air Canada's service to Toulouse is that, unlike Air Transat's, it will be year-round. In 2022, Air Transat's YUL-TLS route ran from May to October, with 31 monthly flights in both directions on the Airbus A321neo. Beginning on June 1, 2023, Air Canada will fly to Toulouse five times weekly on its Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

Today's announcement from Air Canada was not only regarding three new European routes, but resuming services to Asia and restoring frequencies in the Atlantic, Pacific, and South America regions.

"We continue to pursue our disciplined approach of expanding our global network in response to anticipated demand. We are especially pleased to be adding three new strategic routes to Europe, resuming important services to Japan, and increasing frequencies to key international destinations for summer 2023." - Mark Galardo

Galardo highlighted Air Canada's new year-round service from Toronto to Brussels, emphasizing the importance of the route through its Star Alliance partner Brussels Airlines. Air Canada is also increasing services to Copenhagen, another Star Alliance hub that offers passengers connections throughout Northern Europe.

Air Canada (Star Alliance Livery) Airbus A330-343 C-GHLM

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The significant changes to Air Canada's summer schedule are as follows:

Toronto-London Heathrow	Increases from three to four daily
Toronto-Edinburgh	Increases from six weekly to daily
Toronto-Copenhagen	Increases from three to five weekly
Toronto-Barcelona	Increases from five weekly to daily
Toronto-Madrid	Increases to six weekly
Montreal-Frankfurt	Increases from two daily to 19 weekly (in partnership with Lufthansa)
Montreal-Geneva	Increases from six weekly to daily
Montreal-Nice	Increases from three to four weekly

Toronto-Dubai	Increases from three weekly to daily
Montreal-Tel Aviv	Increases from three weekly to four weekly
Montreal-Algiers	Increases from three weekly to four weekly
Montreal-Sao Paulo	Increases from three to five weekly
Vancouver-Brisbane	Increase from four weekly to daily
Vancouver-Hong Kong	Increases from three weekly to daily
Vancouver-Seoul	Increases from five weekly to daily
Toronto-Tokyo Narita	Increases from five weekly to daily (launched summer 2022)
Montreal-Tokyo Narita	Increases from two weekly to daily

Increased service to the U.S.

Less than two weeks ago, Air Canada announced increasing service between two hubs and two United Airlines hubs in the United States. Beginning in December, Air Canada will connect Vancouver International Airport (YVR) with Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) with Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Existing routes connect Air Canada's and United's networks, but the new routes will offer increased connectivity. Air Canada's Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 will service the Halifax-Newark route, and the Vancouver-Houston route will be on the Airbus A220, initially a Bombardier aircraft.