Air Canada Expands Vancouver Boeing 787 Dreamliners To Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai, Tokyo-Narita Routes

Air Canada will soon be offering its Boeing 787 Dreamliners to travellers from Vancouver to the Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo-Narita routes.

The expansion will also see the introduction of the airline's new International Business Class and Premium Economy seating to the same routes. The newly converted Vancouver-Shanghai route to 787 Dreamliner service had just started recently, while the converted Vancouver-Tokyo/Narita will begin in mid-December.

The Vancouver-Beijing will start in February 2015. The Vancouver-Seoul, meantime, follow a month after. About 25 Boeing 777-300ER and 777-200LR aircraft will be converted to 787 Dreamliner seating standards.

Air Canada's Boeing 787 Dreamliners offers three cabin choices of service. All are fit with state-of-the-art seating as well as enhanced cabin comfort and next-generation entertainment systems. The International Business Class cabin features 20 Executive Pods with 180-degree lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration guaranteeing direct aisle access.

The Premium Economy cabin has 21 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. The Premium Economy seating, on other hand, offers more generous personal space, wider seats and greater legroom and recline as well as premium meals, complimentary bar service and priority check-in and baggage delivery at the airport.

The Economy cabin has 210 slimline seats in a 3-3-3 configuration providing personal space consistent with the comfort of Air Canada's current Economy cabin. "Customer feedback on our new International Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy product standard debuted on the 787 Dreamliner has been extremely positive," Benjamin Smith, president, Passenger Airlines, said in a statement.

It was the Toronto-Tokyo/Haneda route where Air Canada first operated its 787 Dreamliner in July. It was followed in August on the Toronto-Tel Aviv route.

Air Canada said it is set to receive six Boeing 787 aircraft by yearend 2014. It had actually ordered for a total of 37 aircraft - 15 787-8 aircraft and 22 of the larger capacity 787-9 aircraft. Expected delivery completion is by end of 2019. The currnent mainline fleet composed of Boeing 767 aircraft will be gradually transferred to Air Canada rouge, its leisure carrier subsidiary.

Canada's flag carrier serves over 180 destinations on five continents. In 2013, it served more than 35 million customers and is considered among the 20 largest airlines in the world. Visit 787.aircanada.com for a virtual tour of the aircraft featuring Air Canada's new international product standard that offers international travellers industry-leading seating amenities in a choice of three cabins of service.