Air Canada has identified Australia as a potential future growth market as the airline prepares to expand its long-haul fleet with a new order of Airbus A350 aircraft.
Speaking about the carrier’s future network plans, Air Canada Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau indicated that Australia remains firmly on the airline’s radar, with Melbourne among the destinations being considered as part of its long-term expansion strategy.
The airline recently announced plans to acquire an additional 10 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, supplementing an existing order and giving Air Canada greater flexibility to pursue ultra-long-haul routes.
While no Australian services have been formally announced, Rousseau told Executive Traveller that the carrier continues to evaluate opportunities in the market.
“We’ve looked at Australia many times,” he said, noting that the new-generation aircraft would provide the range and economics required to make routes to Australia more viable.
Air Canada currently serves Australia through codeshare and alliance partnerships but does not operate its own flights to the country. A future direct service would represent a significant development in the Australia–Canada aviation market, which is currently dominated by Qantas and Air Canada alliance partner United Airlines through North American connections.
The Airbus A350-1000 is expected to play a central role in the airline’s future long-haul strategy. The aircraft offers improved fuel efficiency, lower operating costs and the ability to operate some of the world’s longest commercial routes.
According to Rousseau, the aircraft will allow Air Canada to consider destinations that previously may not have been commercially feasible.
The comments come as airlines worldwide increasingly use new-generation long-range aircraft to open routes that would have been difficult to sustain with older aircraft types.
For Australian travellers, a future Air Canada service would provide additional competition on trans-Pacific routes and potentially create new one-stop travel options to destinations throughout Canada, the United States and Europe via Air Canada’s hubs in Vancouver and Toronto.
With more A350 aircraft scheduled to enter the fleet later this decade, Australia appears to remain firmly in contention as Air Canada considers where its next phase of international growth will take place.