en.Wedoany.com Reported - Air Canada and its leisure travel subsidiary Air Canada Rouge have announced three new European routes operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, departing from Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ), Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) for transatlantic narrow-body flights.

Air Canada plans to transfer all its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to Air Canada Rouge. According to Aeroroutes, starting in 2027, Air Canada will hand over three European routes to Air Canada Rouge. These routes include: Halifax to Brussels, Montréal to Reykjavik Airport (KEF), Toronto to Reykjavik and Ponta Delgada (PDL). Flights from Montréal will commence in June 2027. After deploying narrow-body aircraft on these routes, Air Canada Rouge expects a cost efficiency improvement of approximately 20%, supporting growth in leisure and sun destination routes.

These routes include: Halifax to Brussels (launching June 17, 2027, seasonal, operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8); Montréal to Reykjavik Keflavik (launching June 1, 2027, seasonal, operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8); Toronto to Ponta Delgada (launching June 17, 2027, seasonal, operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8); Toronto to Reykjavik Keflavik (launching June 2, 2027, seasonal, operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8). Among these, the Toronto to Reykjavik route, previously operated by Air Canada mainline during the Northern Hemisphere summer, will be transferred to Air Canada Rouge next year.

These new routes mark a shift in Air Canada Rouge's operations. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Air Canada Rouge has focused on destinations in the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Its first transatlantic route was the London Heathrow service (launched this summer, ending November 30), which will revert to Air Canada mainline operations in winter. Next summer, Air Canada Rouge will resume flights to the British capital, Belgium, Iceland, and the Azores. Before the pandemic, Air Canada Rouge operated multiple Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, covering various destinations across continental Europe.

On these flights, passengers can enjoy the cabin features offered by the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The cabin has 177 seats, including 12 in Business Class (lie-flat seats, hot meals, full bar service), 18 in Premium Economy (extra legroom), and 147 in Economy (slimline seats, personal screens). Services include complimentary personal on-demand seatback entertainment systems, free Wi-Fi (for Aeroplan members), seat power outlets, and complimentary beer, wine, and snacks. Next summer, Air Canada Rouge plans to operate up to five European routes.