MONTREAL — Air Canada is hitting the ground running on a pilot project that links airports in Hamilton and Waterloo with Toronto Pearson by way of luxury motorcoaches.

The airline has partnered with The Landline Company to allow customers to book a single itinerary that combines luxury motorcoach service with Air Canada flights.

Now available for booking, the multimodal service will begin operating as a pilot project from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport and the Region of Waterloo International Airport in May 2024, with the potential to expand it elsewhere in Canada in the future.

“Air Canada is focused on improving regional services and through this innovative partnership with The Landline Company, we are connecting communities and extending our network by offering customers a convenient, stress-free multimodal option,” said Alexandre Lefevre, Vice President Network Planning, North America, and Scheduling, at Air Canada. 

“Customers travelling between airports on Landline’s premium motorcoaches will enjoy the same benefits as those making air-only connections, including the convenience of a single itinerary, through-checked baggage when departing Hamilton or Region of Waterloo, disruption protection and Aeroplan earning opportunities. We will look to further expand our regional network in Canada through our Landline partnership, as it also advances our sustainability programs by potentially removing tens of thousands of vehicles from the road each year,” Lefevre added.

Air Canada operates to 40 communities across Canada, including in partnership with regional carriers Jazz Aviation LP and PAL Airlines. Through its new partnership with Landline, the airline is extending its regional network to connect local airports directly to its global network.

/

HOW IT WORKS

Landline will operate six, nonstop roundtrips daily to Toronto Pearson from each of the Hamilton and Region of Waterloo airports in southern Ontario. Air Canada customers beginning their journey at Hamilton or Region of Waterloo airports will check in as normal for their flight and obtain boarding passes for all segments of their trip.

At a designated departure point at the local airport, they will board a luxury, Air Canada-branded motorcoach and their checked baggage will be loaded. Upon arrival at Toronto Pearson, customers will proceed directly through security screening, while checked bags will be automatically transferred to the onward connecting flight. 

In the event of coach or flight delays, customers travelling on Landline will be automatically offered the same protections as customers travelling on air-only itineraries. Members of Air Canada’s Aeroplan program will earn points for both ground and air segments, as on any normal connecting flight itinerary.

For more information go to www.aircanada.com/landline.
.

PREMIUM MOTORCOACHES

The motorcoaches used by Landline for Air Canada are made in Canada by Prevost, a manufacturer of touring coaches based in Sainte-Claire, Quebec. Each motorcoach features 36 leather seats in a two-by-one configuration, free Wi-Fi, power and a table tray at each seat, generous overhead storage for carry-on baggage, and an onboard lavatory. Announcements will be made in both English and French, plus coaches are fully accessible with a power lift for customers requiring mobility aids.

“We’re very excited about this partnership between Air Canada and our customer Landline, and proud to be able to offer them the comfort and quality that Prevost is known for. These new coach routes will enable them to serve their passengers by providing safe transportation adapted to their needs. For us, this new partnership ensures a solution that meets the current and future needs of the airline industry by giving them the opportunity to connect more of their regional customers to their major hubs,” said François Tremblay, president of Prevost and Volvo Group Canada.