Air Canada plans to launch direct flights to the Philippines as it expands its Asia-Pacific network, Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.
Air Canada, on its website, is offering flights between Toronto and Manila and Vancouver and Manila beginning Nov. 18. It also plans to launch flights from Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Quebec to Manila.
Bautista and Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman discussed the Philippines-Canada route expansion to bolster trade, tourism and economic ties between the countries, furthering the recovery of Philippines-Canadian air transport.
“We are ramping up linkages with other international destinations. Our aim is to launch and expand new routes of flight networks in various parts of the world,” Bautista said during his meeting with the Canadian envoy last week.
Bautista said the Philippines and Canada enjoy 75 years of strong and friendly bilateral relations—dating back 1949—adding that the additional flights to and from Canada would bring economic resilience to the Philippines.
“It will contribute not only to our economic growth but also to the growth of both of our societies,” Bautista told Ambassador Hartman.
The Canadian envoy expressed optimism that the flight expansion would pan out immediately to cater to the increasing demand to and from the North American region.
Bautista said during the Aviation Summit 2024 in October that he expected the opening of new routes to other countries to “provide travelers flexibility in going to more international destinations while attracting drones of foreign tourists to explore the country.”
Direct flights between the Philippines and France will be available starting Dec. 8 as part of the Asia-Pacific route expansion.
