CANADIAN Airlines and alliance partner British Airways have announced their new winter programme with increased frequency from 51 to 54 flights a week between Heathrow and Canada.
Calgary and Vancouver will benefit with additional capacity, but Toronto will remain a four-times daily operation from Heathrow.
Canadian is to operate a second non-stop flight to Calgary at the weekends, while Vancouver will get an additional flight on Sundays.
Based on the winter 1998 programme, the improved schedules – effective from October 31 – will also see the gradual phasing out of Canadian’s ageing DC-10 aircraft from its fleet.
Canadian recently acquired four new Boeing 767-300s which will eventually fly on all ex-UK services.
The aircraft type is currently used on most UK flights.
Managing director Europe, Gary Cross said the transatlantic Canadian/British Airways alliance had developed well since the tie-up two years ago.
He added that the recent rebranding of the airline and improved in-flight facilities had helped improve passenger numbers. Membership of Oneworld, which Canadian founded with BA, American Airlines, Qantas and Cathay Pacific last year, has also raised the profile of the carrier. as it increases transatlantic capacity.
n Air Canada has announced provisional winter schedules which include an additional two weekly flights between Heathrow and Toronto to 18 services from this winter.
Frequency to Ottawa is being stepped up from three to five flights a week.