Newsletter

NEWS & UPDATES ON AIR CANADA

SMART BAG

Here is what you need to know if you travel with a "smart bag".  A smart bag is a bag that has built-in charging, location tracking or other battery-powered technology.

You may bring your 'smart bag' onto the plane with you, provided it meets carry-on baggage size restrictions.

On smaller aircraft where carry-on bags must be placed in the cargo hold, you will need to remove the battery and bring the battery into the cabin with you.

If you plan on checking your ‘smart bag’, you will first need to remove the battery and bring the battery into the cabinwith you.  Air Canada will not accept your bag as checked baggage if the battery cannot be removed.

FLOODS IN EASTERN CANADA

With the seasonal flooding happening in Eastern Canada, we understand that you may want to make alternate travel arrangements. If you currently have a reservation, Air Canada has implemented a policy that makes it possible for you to make voluntary changes to your itinerary if  you purchased a ticket no later than April 26, 2019 for travel between now and May 10, 2019 or if your travel begins in Ottawa, Montreal, Saint John or Fredericton.

If you are scheduled to travel during the affected period, contract your UNIGLOBE Travel Counsellor to change your flight free of charge, to another date between now and May 30, 2019, subject to availability in the cabin you originally purchased. Otherwise, any fare difference will apply.

New Partnership With Ocean Clean-up Organization - 4ocean

Employee participation in upcoming 2019 ocean and coastal clean-ups to mark a key milestone in company's plastic reduction strategy

Plastic coverings on onboard amenity kits to be eliminated, bringing total single use plastic items removed from onboard to 36.8 million

These are a few of the initiatives to mark Earth Day 2019.  In addition, Air Canada announced a partnership with environmental organization 4ocean, a company dedicated to actively removing waste plastics and trash from the ocean and coastlines while inspiring individuals to work together for cleaner oceans. As the exclusive Canadian airline to sponsor 4ocean, this partnership marks an important milestone in Air Canada's plastic reduction strategy and creates opportunities for Air Canada employees to participate in coastal North America clean-ups in 2019.

"A key target of Air Canada's corporate waste strategy is our Single-Use Plastics Reduction program. Our partnership with 4ocean as the exclusive Canadian airline is a great fit with this journey and we are especially delighted with the opportunity to engage our employees in our communities. There are many Air Canada employees who care deeply about sustainability and the environment who are keen to make a difference in actively help reduce ocean plastic pollution," said Teresa Ehman, Senior Director of Environmental Affairs at Air Canada.

"We are ecstatic to partner with Air Canada in an initiative to eliminate single use plastic.  We believe Air Canada's Sustainability program is a giant leap forward in this initiative.  4ocean is looking forward to removing thousands of pounds of plastic and waste with Air Canada." said Tony Chvala, Chief Operating Officer at 4ocean.  Read More

THE 737 MAX 

Air Canada has further adjusted its schedule, taking the grounded Boeing 737 Max aircraft out of consideration until Aug. 1, 2019.  This new update is the latest in a series of reconfigurations as the carrier works to cover its bases without an end-date in sight for the 737 Max grounding.

The airline says it has secured additional capacity and taken other measures to make up for the shortfall, so that customers “can book with full confidence”.

“With the continued grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Air Canada is prudently adjusting its schedule and is finalizing arrangements for additional aircraft to transport customers to their destinations,” says Lucie Guillemette, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada.

“Through these measures, we are giving customers certainty to book their summer travel plans on Air Canada with full confidence. We understand the importance our customers attach to their summer travel and through the actions we are announcing today, Air Canada now has in place a schedule and the capacity to meet travellers’ needs.”

Since the Boeing 737 Max fleet was grounded on March 13, Air Canada has successfully protected 96% of planned flying through strategic commercial adjustments, she added. This includes optimizing the current fleet, consolidating flights on larger aircraft and extending leases on aircraft planned to exit the fleet.

“By leveraging our deep, global network and through arrangements with Star Alliance partner Lufthansa and other airlines to provide capacity, we now have secured sufficient additional capacity to meet our customers’ travel needs this summer,” she said.

Deliveries of more 737 MAX are currently suspended. Air Canada was expecting to receive another 12 aircraft for a total fleet of 36 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in July.

Final decisions on returning the 737 MAX to service will be based on Air Canada’s safety assessment following the lifting of government safety notices and approval by international regulatory authorities.