*Pictured: Dan Irvine, Aviation Development Manager, Shannon Airport, Isabel Harrison, B2B Manager, Aviation Development, Shannon Airport, Bláithín O’Donnell, Air Canada, Ireland and Niall Kearns, Airport Director, Shannon Airport || Photo: Don Maloney
AIR CANADA is to launch a new non-stop service between Shannon Airport and Toronto next summer, providing the only direct connection between Shannon and Canada.
The seasonal service will operate three times a week from June 10 to October 3, 2027, with flights departing Shannon on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The route will be operated by Air Canada’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft and will offer both Signature Class and Economy Class cabins.
The new service is on sale from Thursday, September 3.
Passengers travelling through Toronto Pearson International Airport will also have onward connections to more than 150 destinations across Canada, the United States, Mexico, South America and beyond through Air Canada’s global hub.
Ray O’Driscoll, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, said securing the route had been a key priority for the airport and represented a significant opportunity for the West of Ireland.
“When an airline the scale of Air Canada chooses Shannon, it sends a powerful signal about the strength of the West of Ireland market and its international potential,” he said.
“This new Air Canada service is set to deliver a significant economic boost for Ireland, opening the door to more Canadian visitors than ever before and driving tourism growth across the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and destinations nationwide.”
Bláithín O’Donnell of Air Canada Ireland said demand for travel to Canada from Irish holidaymakers had been growing consistently.
“This new Shannon-Toronto service opens a whole new world of transatlantic travel possibilities for travellers in the West and South of Ireland,” she said.
The A321XLR aircraft will feature Air Canada’s latest long-haul cabin, including lie-flat beds in Signature Class, complimentary inflight meals and bar service, free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan members and new inflight entertainment systems.
The route will also provide an option for European passengers travelling onwards to the United States, with U.S. Customs and immigration preclearance available at Toronto Pearson.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien welcomed the announcement, describing the new route as strategically important and saying it would strengthen long-haul connectivity from the West of Ireland.
“Securing this new route is of strategic importance and shows the determination of The Shannon Airport Group to expand the services on offer, providing increased connectivity and choice to travellers wishing to fly from Shannon Airport,” he said.
He also said Shannon Airport had experienced a strong summer, with more routes and increased passenger numbers compared with the previous year.
Air Canada flight AC969 will depart Shannon at 10.20am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Toronto at 12.35pm.
The return service, AC968, will depart Toronto at 9.30pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving in Shannon at 9.05am the following day.
The service will operate from June 10 to October 3, 2027.
