By Charles Lefebvre

Air Canada adjusts flight schedules for summer due to Boeing 737 MAX grounding

Apr 25, 2019 | 3:49 PM

MONTREAL, QC — Air Canada is suspending some summer routes and making other schedule changes in response to the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

Some of the routes that are being suspended included Calgary to London, Toronto to Shannon and Toronto to Abbotsford, which will last throughout summer 2019. Air Canada says they plan to restore those routes in 2020.

Boeing 737 MAX aircraft have been grounded by Transport Canada since March 13, following two deadly crashes in Jakarta and Ethiopia. Air Canada had 24 Boeing 737 MAX as part of its fleet at the time of the grounding, and was expecting to receive another 12 planes in July.

Air Canada says they have removed 737 MAX planes flying from its scheduled until at least August 1.

“With the continued grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Air Canada is prudently adjusting its schedule and is finalizing arrangements for additional aircraft to transport customers to their destinations,” said Lucie Guillemette, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada. “Through these measures, we are giving customers certainty to book their summer travel plans on Air Canada with full confidence. We understand the importance our customers attach to their summer travel and through the actions we are announcing today, Air Canada now has in place a schedule and the capacity to meet travellers’ needs.”

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The measures include substituting different aircraft on 737 Max Routes, including extending leases on three Airbus A320 and three Embraer 190 aircraft. The company is also accelerating the in-take of six Airbus A321 aircraft from WOW Air into its fleet, reconfiguring them into the Air Canada Rouge fleet. The first of these planes will be flying in May.

Air Canada has also partnered with other airlines to operate flights in its behalf, including Lufthansa, which will operate its Montreal to Frankfurt flight in May.

More details of the changes can be found here.