Air Canada Sunday announced that effective June 16, 2006 it will introduce non-stop service between Toronto and Shanghai.

Air Canada will operate three non-stop flights per week between Toronto and China's largest city, complementing its Toronto-Beijing non-stop service launched in June 2005, and its daily non-stop flights to both Shanghai and Beijing from Vancouver. Air Canada also operates twice daily flights to Hong Kong including non-stop service from Toronto.

"With the introduction of the only non-stop service to Shanghai, Air Canada continues to expand its services to meet the needs of travelers and freight forwarders in the fast growing China market," said Ben Smith, vice president of the company.

Air Canada will be the only carrier offering non-stop service between the largest commercial cities of Canada and China. With an elapsed time of 14 hours 45 minutes westbound and 13 hours 40 minutes eastbound, Air Canada's new Toronto-Shanghai service will save travelers more than 3 hours in each direction compared to the Vancouver routing.

Air Canada will operate the new route using 286-seat A340-300 aircraft. With a 10:15 departure from Toronto on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday arriving in Shanghai at 13:00 the next day, flight AC071 is timed to offer convenient morning connections from points throughout Air Canada's extensive global network, particularly in eastern Canada, the United States and Latin America. The eastbound flight, AC072, leaves Shanghai at 14:45 on Monday, Thursday and Saturday and arrives in Toronto at 16:25 the same day, providing maximum connecting options throughout the Americas.

With the addition of Toronto-Shanghai non-stop service, Air Canada will offer customers up to 13 non-stop flights per day in each direction between Canada and seven destinations in Asia. From its main hub in Toronto, the carrier operates non-stop flights to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul. From its Asia Pacific gateway in Vancouver, Air Canada serves Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Osaka, and Seoul with daily non-stop flights.

Montreal-based Air Canada provides scheduled and charter air transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 150 destinations on five continents. Air Canada is Canada's flag carrier and the 14th largest commercial airlines in the world. It serves more than 29 million customers annually.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2006)