dailynewsnblog
Air Canada and its leisure focused subsidiary Air Canada Rouge have unveiled another three new routes that will be operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8, with Europe firmly in the carrier’s sights. The airline announced this week that it would add the narrow-body transatlantic flights from Halifax / Stanfield International Airport (YHZ), Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and 
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
Rouge Services from Montreal will commence next June as the airline starts a non-stop service to Iceland, while Toronto will gain flights to the Azores, and Iceland. These are alongside non-stop flights to Brussels from Halifax from June (already announced). These flights mark a significant strategy change for Air Canada, which shelved all trans-Atlantic flights with Rouge during the pandemic and has been flying mainline services to Europe ever since.
Paving The Way For New European Flights With The Air Canada Rouge Boeing 737 MAX 8
Air Canada has planned to shift all of its MAX 8 aircraft to the leisure focused subsidiary, and as captured by Aeroroutes, the airline will shift three of its European services to the carrier from next year. These include Halifax to Brussels, Montreal to Reykjavik Airport (KEF), and Toronto to Reykjavik and Ponta Delgada (PDL).
The decision to move the narrowbody planes to the route will establish the leisure focused subsidiary as an all-Boeing operator, which is set to improve its overall cost efficiency by approximately 20%, and support continued growth of leisure and sun-focused destinations.
Air Canada mainline is already operating the Toronto to Reykjavik service, which it is doing across the Northern summer, with this shifting to Rouge next year. A snapshot of the proposed routes below:
Route | Start Date | Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Halifax – Brussels | June 17, 2027 | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Seasonal |
Montreal – Reykjavik Keflavik | June 1, 2027 | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Seasonal |
Toronto – Ponta Delgada | June 17, 2027 | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Seasonal |
Toronto – Reykjavik Keflavik | June 2, 2027 | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Seasonal |
Trans-Atlantic Routes By Rouge From Montreal And Toronto
These new routes will mark a significant shift in the airline’s current operations, where Rouge, since the pandemic, has focused on the United States, Caribbean, and Latin America (sun destinations). The return of Rouge to operate routes across the Atlantic will be celebrated by passengers as it could provide more tourist-friendly travel times, cheaper airfares, and brand choice.
Currently, all Rouge flights apart from those already mentioned above that are in current operation (Ponta Delgada) and Halifax to 
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) are primarily to the south. Air Canada Rouge’s first transatlantic service is that of London Heathrow, which it commenced this summer and will end on November 30, and go back to mainline for the winter season.
Next summer, the airline will ramp up trans-Atlantic services again, with flights back to the British capital, Belgium, Iceland, and the Azores. Before the pandemic, Rouge operated several 767-300ER aircraft, which supported its trans-Atlantic reach, including destinations across the European continent.
COVID-19 changed the airline’s future at this time, as the airline looked to retire the older widebody airplanes and convert them to freighters, leaving Rouge with a small fleet of Airbus A320 family of airplanes, which has limited its range of operation.
What Can Be Expected Onboard The Rouge Boeing 737 MAX 8
Onboard Rouge, passengers will enjoy a refreshed, leisure-focused experience, which will see a cabin fitted with a total of 177 seats across multiple classes. Complimentary personal on-demand seat-back entertainment, free Wi-Fi for the airline’s Aeroplan members, and in-seat power outlets will ensure passengers can remain connected throughout the flight.
Free beer, wine, and snacks are all included, and for the trans-Atlantic services to Europe, will undoubtedly be welcomed by passengers as they find themselves shuttled across the Atlantic Ocean. The configuration for the MAX 8 is as follows:
Class | Number Of Seats | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Business Class | 12 | Reclining seat, hot meals, and full bar service |
Economy Preferred | 18 | Extra legroom, standard economy class inclusions |
Economy | 147 | Slimline seats, personal screens, and standard economy inclusions |
Those with a high enough Aeroplan status will also be able to enter the Maple Leaf Lounges at airports before boarding. Next summer is looking good for Rouge, where the airline will fly up to five European services across the summer, with likely more to be announced
