VANCOUVER — Air Transat has inaugurated its brand new direct service between Vancouver and Quebec City, becoming the first and only airline to operate this route. 

Flights will be offered once a week on Mondays from Vancouver and on Sundays from Quebec City, until Oct. 25. The route will be operated by next-generation Airbus A321neoLR aircraft featuring state-of-the-art in-set entertainment systems and the lowest fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in their class. 

According to Joseph Adamo, Transat’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, it was “only natural” for the airline to add the new route to its summer schedule. 

“As we predicted, travellers are showing a strong interest in domestic destinations so we are pleased to offer them this new route linking two of Canada’s most important tourist hubs,” he said. 

To mark the inauguration of the new route, 163 passengers on the very first TS969 departed Vancouver on Aug. 2 and were warmly welcomed at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). This flight came just one day after 185 passengers boarded the inaugural TS968 flight from Quebec City’s Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB).

On what Air Transat’s new service means for Vancouver, Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO of Vancouver International Airport, said: “The addition of this seasonal flight provides travellers with more options when flying domestically from YVR and is a strong signal of confidence from Air Transat as it rejoins Canada’s airlines in the effort to reopen travel and tourism across the country safely and in a measured approach.”

This summer, Air Transat will also offer direct flights from Vancouver to Montreal and Toronto. Last week, the airline celebrated its official resumption of commercial operations and the start of its summer program with flights more Montreal to Punta Cana and Vancouver.