Air Canada is launching a 14-hour non-stop flight between Delhi and Vancouver from October offering the first direct connection to residents of the Canadian west coast with India.
The Delhi-Vancouver flight is Air Canada's second service to India. In November, it resumed Delhi-Toronto direct flight after a gap of eight years to cater both to business travellers and the large Indo-Canadian community.
The Delhi-Vancouver route will cover a distance of around 11,200 kilometres which is over a thousand kilometre less than the Delhi-San Francisco route serviced by Air India since December. Emirates operates 14,200 kilometre Dubai-Auckland service which is the longest flight in world.
Air Canada will operate thrice weekly flights deploying a 298-seat Boeing 787-9 aircraft in three class configuration including business, premium economy and economy on the route. The flight will begin from October 20 and will be seasonal service till the end of winter schedule in April.
Vancouver and surrounding areas have a large concentration of Indians especially those from Punjab. Currently travellers between Vancouver and India take one stop flights via Hong Kong, London and Frankfurt to India. Several passengers travel via London on Air India which has a code share agreement with Air Canada.
"Customer response to our Toronto-Delhi service has been extremely positive, and with this new seasonal Vancouver route, we are strategically increasing our presence in the important Asia-Pacific market in time for Diwali festival celebrations," said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada.