Air China to Launch First Transpacific Route from Montreal

Air China will launch three-times-weekly Beijing-Montreal non-stop service on September 29.

According to Air China, the new route will represent the world’s first transpacific non-stop service between Asia and Montreal.

Air China received its 10th Boeing 777-300ER on October 30, 2012. To mark the milestone, the aircraft was delivered wearing a special ‘Smiling China’ livery, promoting the message that China is China is a confident, sincere, friendly and optimistic country, and the airline industry of China has been playing an important role in forging closer ties between China and the rest of the world

Air China’s schedule for the service calls for flight CA879 to leave Beijing Capital International Airport (IATA code PEK) at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from September 29.

After crossing the International Dateline to land at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) at 1:50 p.m. the same day, local time.

The return flight, CA880, will depart YUL at 4:20 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from September 29 and after re-crossing the International Dateline it will reach PEK at 6:00 p.m. the following day, local time.

Air China will operate its Beijing-Montreal route flights with Boeing 777-300ERs.

Air China took delivery of its first Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental passenger jumbo on September 29, 2014, becoming the first carrier in Asia to operate the 747-8I. Pictured here is the airline’s first 747-8 Intercontinental, one of seven ordered by Air China, during a pre-delivery test flight

In 2015, Air China has strengthened its global route network from its hub in Beijing and expanded its footprint in the Americas.

Air China put new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental jets into service on its Beijing-New York JFK route at the beginning of the year and in May it increased the service frequency on its Beijing-Los Angeles route to three round-trips a day.

Star Alliance member Air China already serves Vancouver from Beijing and in all it serves seven destinations in North America: New York, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Vancouver and Hawaii. Montreal will become the Chinese flag carrier’s eighth North American destination.

Air China operates more than 140 flights per week to and from North America, operating most of the routes with Boeing 777-300ERs and Boeing 747-8Is.

On September 7, 2015, Air China’s 50th Airbus A330 performed its maiden flight. The aircraft was the first A330-300 for Air China with the new, higher 242-tonne maximum take-off gross weight, which allows up to 500nm of additional range

By August 2015, Air China was operating a fleet of 523 passenger aircraft and freighters, including the aircraft operated by the carriers in which it holds majority stakes.

Air China itself has outstanding orders for nearly 190 more aircraft: Airbus A320-family jets and A320neos, A330-300s, Boeing 737-800s, 787-9s and domestically designed and built Comac C919s.

Beijing-based Air China operates 350 routes: 87 international routes, 16 regional Asian routes and 247 Chinese domestic routes. It serves 168 cities in 35 countries and regions, including 58 international cities, four Asian regional cities and 106 domestic cities.

Every week, Air China offers more than 1.47 million seats and operates more than 7,700 flights.