Air Canada will feature an International Premium Economy cabin in five new Boeing 777-300ER widebodies it is due to receive between June this year and February 2014.
The five Boeing 777-300ER jets – due for delivery in June, August, November and December of this year, with the last coming in February 2014 – will be the first aircraft configured with Air Canada’s new Premium Economy cabin.
With the introduction of five additional new Boeing 777-300ERs into service between June 2013 and February 2014, Air Canada would increase its 777 fleet to 23 aircraft – 17 777-300ERs and six 777-200LRs
With the addition of the five aircraft, Air Canada’s Boeing 777 fleet will consist of 23 aircraft, of which 17 will be 777-300ERs and six are ultra-long-range 777-200LRs.
Air Canada is taking delivery of the five new 777-300ERs before it is scheduled to receive in 2014 the first of 37 Boeing 787 Dreamliner widebodies it has on order.
In addition to the introduction of Premium Economy, new seats and a new in-flight entertainment system, Air Canada’s five new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will feature a refreshed interior color palette in modern, neutral tones unique to these aircraft.
The new interior colors in the 777-300ERs are an interim move pending the official launch of Air Canada’s future in-flight service product and cabin design, to be made in conjunction with the introduction of Boeing 787s into its fleet.
Air Canada’s long-haul fleet includes 17 Boeing 777-300ERs in service and on order and the carrier also operates six 777-200LRs. Montreal-headquartered Air Canada also operates eight Airbus A330-300s and 30 Boeing 767-300ERs, which are being replaced by 37 Boeing 787-8s the airline has ordered
Each of the five new Boeing 777-300ERs will also offer a larger Economy cabin than its existing examples of the type, since Air Canada will deploy these aircraft on select international markets with high-volume demand for economy travel.
Complementing its Economy and Executive First options on international flights, Air Canada’s new Boeing 777-300ER Premium Economy cabin will feature larger, wider seats than those in the Economy cabin.
The new premium economy seats will provide more recline, offering seven more inches of legroom than Economy. No seat will be more than one seat from the aisle, due to a 2-4-2 seat-row configuration.
Premium-economy passengers will also be offered premium meals with complimentary bar service and priority check-in and baggage delivery at the airport. More information on Air Canada’s new Premium Economy cabin is available at www.aircanada.com/premiumeconomy.
Air Canada operates six Boeing 777-200LRs as part of its sizable long-haul fleet
Air Canada will introduce its new Premium Economy cabin on its Montreal-Paris flights from July 11. Additional routes offering Premium Economy will be added over time as new aircraft enter the carrier’s mainline fleet.
The Premium Economy seats on Air Canada’s Montreal-Paris flights are now available for booking, as are Premium rouge seats on Air Canada rouge flights to European destinations Edinburgh, Venice and Athens.
“The introduction of these Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in our fleet and launch of Air Canada’s new Premium Economy cabin on the Montreal-Paris route will allow us to compete effectively in a market with high demand for economy travel that is served by both international network and charter carriers,” says Ben Smith, executive vice president and chief commercial officer.
The five new Boeing 777-300ERs will be configured with 398 new “slimline” leather seats in Economy, each providing 31-inch legroom consistent with the comfort of Air Canada’s current Economy cabin.
Meanwhile, the dedicated Premium Economy cabin will feature 24 leather seats, each providing 38 inches of legroom along with other enhanced comfort features.
Air Canada was due to begin taking delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in 2014, from a large order of 37 787-8s and 787-9s. The carrier also optioned 23 more 787s
Air Canada’s Executive First cabin will offer 36 seats that convert into 180-degree lie-flat beds in a staggered configuration of one or two, to allow customers traveling alone or with a companion to choose their preferred seating and sleeping options.
All seats in all three cabins will feature an enhanced Panasonic individual seat back in-flight entertainment system, featuring larger screens and customer-friendly technology and providing hundreds of hours of complimentary audio-visual entertainment options.
When delivered, Air Canada’s 37 Boeing 787s will feature a new, enhanced version of Air Canada’s Executive First lie-flat beds and service – details of which have yet to be announced – in addition to Premium Economy and Economy cabins.
The airline says it will deploy its Boeing 787 fleet on its current and future high-premium-demand international routes.
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