Cancun and Tampa are among the destinations to be introduced this month after Air Canada Rouge returned to the skies after a break of almost seven months.
The Air Canada leisure offshoot’s return this week with services between Toronto, Las Vegas, Orlando and Regina also offered a sneak peek of a new cabin interior set to enter service later in the northern autumn.
The airline was grounded in February after flights to leisure hotspots primarily serviced by Air Canada Rouge were paused due to COVID-19.
It is returning with Airbus narrowbody aircraft but not the Boeing 767s it used for destinations in Europe now being serviced by the mainline fleet.
The president of Rouge operations at Air Canada, Jon Turner, said the leisure airline remained integral to the company’s overall strategy.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, we anticipate increased demand for vacation travel and from customers flying to enjoy overdue visits with family and friends,” he said.
“Air Canada’s leisure airline is ideally suited to serve this market with a compelling array of leisure destinations and an inviting travel experience so that the holidays begin as soon as customers board an Air Canada Rouge aircraft.”
The airline’s new interior will be available on nine of its 39 aircraft and features a contemporary new design with “playful” brand accents.
The aircraft will be configured with leather seats with a 30-inch seat pitch in economy.
There are also upgraded personal power options, including USB-C ports, and a convenient personal electronic device holder integrated into the seatback.
Crew across the fleet will sport refreshed uniforms featuring pieces from Air Canada’s mainline uniform, accented with new neckwear and brevets to represent the Rouge brand.
Other fleet-wide product and design enhancements include upgraded streaming entertainment.
Customers no longer need to use an app to stream content but can use their web browser.
