ABU DHABI 31 July 2018: Effective 28 October 2018, Etihad Airways will increase its flights from Abu Dhabi to Canada’s largest city, Toronto, from three to five weekly services.
The flights will be operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, featuring 40 seats in Business Class and 340 in Economy Class.
Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We are thrilled to announce more flights to cosmopolitan Toronto, one of the most successful and popular destinations on our global route network. This news has been eagerly anticipated.
“We have welcomed well over a million guests on our flights to Toronto since we launched the service almost 13 years ago. This development is great news for UAE nationals, for who Canada is an exciting trade, touristic, andcultural partner, and for Canadians, including the thousands residing here in the emirates. The UAE is also Canada’s largest export market in the MENA region, so the extra services are a boost for trade to and from the area and beyond.”
Etihad Airways inaugurated services to Toronto on October 2005.
Approximately 45,000 Canadian citizens reside in the UAE, with over 150 Canadian companies registered across the country. Citizens of both countries now enjoy visa-free entry for business and tourism on stays of up to six months.
Etihad Airways has a codeshare partnership in place with Air Canada, with the Canadian flag carrier placing its ‘AC’ code on Etihad services from Toronto to Abu Dhabi and from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi. Under the agreement, Etihad Airways places its ‘EY’ code on Air Canada’s multiple daily services from Toronto to points across Canadaincluding Montreal, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, St.Johns, Halifax, Regina, and Fort McMurray.
The additional frequencies will also benefit Etihad Cargo customers who can expect greater schedule flexibility and a 60 per cent cargo capacity increase on the route.
Emirates to fly to Toronto five times a week starting August 18
DUBAI: Emirates announced that it will introduce two additional flights to its Toronto (YYZ) service, complementing its existing schedule.
The additional Toronto flights will be introduced on August 18 2018 and will operate on a Saturday departing Dubai as EK241 at 03:30 and arrive in Toronto at 09:30.
The return flight, EK242, leaves Toronto at 14:25 and arrives in Dubai at 11:40 the next day.
On Sundays, EK241 will depart at 03:30 and arrive in Toronto at 09:30. The return flight, EK242, will leave Toronto at 14:30 and arrives in Dubai at 11:25 the next day.
Both flights will be operated by Emirates A380 with private suites in First Class, lie flat seats in Business Class and spacious seats in Economy Class.
Emirates recently celebrated 10 years of operations in Canada last October. The A380 scheduled service increased passenger capacity on the Toronto service by 40% and since then, passenger occupancy on the route has been consistently full, averaging 90% with demand outstripping supply. The additional frequency will fulfil the strong demand on the route and add 65% capacity to the market.
As of June 5, UAE nationals no longer need a visa to travel to Canada for short stays. Emirates also has established codeshare partnerships in Canada with WestJet and Alaska Airlines, connecting travellers from across its global network to more Canadian cities and vice-versa.
Reciprocally, Canadian nationals can receive a 30-day visa on arrival when visiting the UAE. Travellers looking to stop in Dubai before embarking on their onwards journey can avail the Dubai Stopover package, which includes sightseeing, short excursions and tours, hotel stays and much more. The packages aim to provide passengers the opportunity to enjoy and maximise their holidays at an affordable rate.
Cargo carriage supports trade opportunities
According to the latest trade statistics, the UAE continues to be Canada’s largest export market in the Middle East and North Africa since 2005. Canadian exports to the UAE reached CA$1.6 billion in 2017, an increase of 41% over 2007, and its CA$1.4 billion trade surplus with the UAE was Canada’s fourth largest globally. In 2017 alone, bilateral trade between Canada and the UAE exceeded CA$1.79 billion, having grown by 54% since the two countries were first connected by direct air services by Emirates in 2007.
Emirates has been a key contributor to Canadian connectivity, trade, tourism and infrastructure over the years. Since the inaugural flight in October 2007, Emirates has carried over 1.4 million passengers through its Toronto – Dubai route. Emirates SkyCargo has also played an important role in connecting Canada to the world. In 2017, Emirates’ flights to and from Canada carried over 4,300 tonnes of cargo. Currently, major cargo imports include fruit, vegetables and fish. Major exports include pharmaceuticals, electronics, mining/drilling equipment, livestock, lobsters and courier services.