Air China makes Montreal its second Canadian destination

2 Oct 2015Air China’s Beijing to Montreal

Dignitaries and cabin crew assembled for a photo opportunity at Beijing Airport before Air China’s inaugural service to Montreal left the gate on 29 September.

 
 
 
 

Touchdown in Montreal. Air China’s 777-300ER landed safely on 29 September after travelling over 10,000 kilometres non-stop from Beijing. Preparing to cut the celebratory ribbon were: Dr. Zhihang Chi, VP Americas, Air China; Mr. Michel Leblanc, President and Secretary of the Board, Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal; Mr. Yingnian Wang, Chief Pilot, Air China; Mr. Denis Coderre, Mayor of the City of Montreal; Mr. Zhaohui Luo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Canada; Mr. James C. Cherry, CEO, Aéroports de Montreal; Mr. Jacques Daoust, Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Exports, Government of Quebec; Mrs. Jiangping Zhao, Consul General of China in Montreal; Mr. Yves Lalumière, President & CEO, Tourism Montreal; Mr. Huang Bo, Chairman of Commercial Committee, Air China. To celebrate the event not one, but two special cakes were created; one for passengers and one for staff, including Luce Bureau, Director of Air Service Development, Aéroports de Montréal, seen here helping to cut one of the cakes.

• Air China on 29 September launched non-stop flights between Beijing (PEK) and Montreal (YUL). The 10,443-kilometre route will be operated thrice-weekly (Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays) using the airline’s latest 777-300ERs. No other carrier connects these two cities with non-stop flights. Air China’s only other service to Canada is Vancouver, a route that was launched over 20 years ago. “This is a great day for Aéroports de Montréal, a proud moment that we will all remember for a long time to come,” said a beaming James Cherry, the airport authority’s President and CEO, soon after exiting the plane arriving from the Chinese capital. “The direct route between Montréal and Beijing, the very first scheduled transpacific direct link out of Montréal–Trudeau, is a reality at last. China has never been as close as it is today.” See how Montreal Airport’s FTWA compares to others from around the world.