Customers will be able to book a single itinerary combining a luxury motorcoach service with Air Canada flights for a seamless, convenient and more sustainable journey. 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 make it available 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, 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 programmes by potentially removing tens of thousands of vehicles from the road each year.”
Seamless travel
Landline will operate six, non-stop round trips 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 coach 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 programme will earn points for both ground and air segments, as on any normal connecting flight itinerary.
“We are excited to partner with Air Canada and The Landline Company to deliver this innovative, convenient, hassle-free travel option to passengers travelling from Hamilton International Airport," said Cole Horncastle, executive managing director of John C Munro Hamilton International Airport. “Being able to connect into Air Canada's global network via a luxury coach service opens up access to dozens of exciting new destinations while providing the consistent customer experience our passengers know and trust.”