Virgin Australia begins codeshare with Air Canada

Air Canada Boeing 787-8 C-GHPQ at Brisbane Airport. (Nathan Sieben) — Virgin Australia plans to codeshare on Air Canada’s nonstop flights from Brisbane and Sydney to Vancouver. (Nathen Sieben)

Virgin Australia has switched on its codeshare agreement with Air Canada, adding its VA airline code on flights from Los Angeles to Calgary, Montreal and Toronto.

Similarly, Air Canada has added its AC airline code on Virgin domestic flights from Sydney and Brisbane to 10 destinations across Australia and New Zealand, including Adelaide, Canberra, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.

The codeshare flights became available for booking on Friday for travel from June 1 2017, Virgin said in a statement.

The two carriers first announced their codeshare partnership in December and are also planning further cooperation.

Specifically, the Australian carrier plans to codeshare on Air Canada’s nonstop flights from Brisbane and Sydney to Vancouver, as well the Canadian airline’s seasonal Melbourne-Vancouver service beginning in December 2017.

There will also be reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including allowing members of Virgin’s Velocity and Air Canada’s Aeroplan to earn points when flying on codeshare services.

Virgin group executive for airlines John Thomas said the start of the codesharing agreement would make it easier for Australians to visit Canada and Canadians to travel to Australia.

Currently, Air Canada flies daily from Vancouver to Sydney with Boeing 777-200LRs, with the Star Alliance member sometimes using 777-300ER equipment during peak periods. The airline started daily service on the Brisbane-Vancouver route with 787s in June.

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In May, Air Canada announced plans for a seasonal three times weekly Vancouver-Melbourne service to operate between December 2017 and February 2018.

It is the only airline offering year-round nonstop flights to Canada. Qantas has operated seasonal flights between Sydney and Vancouver with 747-400s since January 2015.

Meanwhile, Virgin has 18 nonstop flights a week from Australia to Los Angeles with 777-300ER, comprising a daily service from Sydney, five times a week from Melbourne and six times a week from Brisbane.

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