Expanded relationship to bring more
flights, improved schedule coordination and shared reward benefits
between the MileagePlus and Aeroplan loyalty programs
MONTREAL, July 22,
2022 /PRNewswire/ - Air Canada and United Airlines
today announced a joint business agreement for the Canada-U.S.
transborder market, building on their long-standing alliance, that
will give more flight options and better flight schedules to
customers traveling between the two countries. Customers will be
able to connect to 38 codeshare destinations in the U.S. and eight
of the most popular cities in Canada — all while enjoying the benefits of
the carriers' MileagePlus® and Aeroplan loyalty programs. The
agreement will also strengthen and grow both carriers' networks and
help accelerate their COVID-19 recovery.
"United is a world-class airline and we are pleased to
significantly expand our well-established partnership to further
enhance the customer journey between Canada and the U.S. by offering more choice,
greater convenience and an improved airport experience," said
Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President
of Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada. "This
agreement marks a new phase in our evolving relationship that will
speed the recovery from the pandemic and strengthen both carriers.
It will also enable us to optimize our hubs and schedules and to
broaden our global network connectivity to maintain our leadership
in the market."
"With this new agreement, we are further strengthening our
long-standing partnership with Air Canada," said Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global
Network Planning and Alliances at United. "As international travel
continues to recover, this expanded partnership will provide an
enhanced experience for all transborder travel."
Customers who search for flights between the U.S. and
Canada on United's or Air Canada's
websites and apps will find more flight options scheduled at more
convenient times. Codeshare between the two carriers will also be
expanded and members of both the MileagePlus and Aeroplan programs
will have more accrual and redemption options.
In 2019, the U.S.-Canada
transborder market was the second largest international passenger
air transportation market in the world and the largest
international market for both Canada and the U.S., as measured by seats.
Air Canada and United already
cooperate in the transborder market, according to the terms of
their existing U.S. antitrust immunity. Under the joint business
agreement, subject to compliance with U.S. and Canadian regulatory
and antitrust requirements, the two airlines will now be able
to:
- Coordinate their networks and schedules, enabling the carriers
to offer customers more choice, including more flights throughout
the day and more access to each airline's seat inventory.
- Enhance codeshare on transborder flights, excluding
certain U.S. leisure markets and territories. The carriers
anticipate customers will be able to connect to 46 transborder
codeshare destinations with more than 400 daily frequencies in
2022 – with opportunities to add more codeshare destinations for
domestic routes within Canada and
the U.S.
- Sell seats on each other's transborder flights and share
revenue on flights between hub markets (where regulatory
authorities and antitrust requirements allow), allowing the
carriers to grow their overall capacities.
- Align customer policies for greater consistency and enable the
seamless provision of onboard products, establish airport
co-locations where available and provide extra value to each
carriers' frequent flyer programs.
- Allow the two carriers to work closer together to advance their
sustainability objectives.
The implementation of an expanded partnership builds
on the existing close cooperation of the two carriers and
previously acquired regulatory approvals. United and Air Canada are
also founding members of Star
Alliance and a transatlantic joint business agreement with
the Lufthansa Group.
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag
carrier and a founding member of Star
Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation
network celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2022. Air
Canada provides scheduled
passenger service directly to 51 airports in Canada, 51 in the
United States and 86 internationally. It is the only
international network carrier in North
America to receive a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax, which
in 2021 gave Air Canada awards for the Best Airline Staff in
North America, Best Airline Staff
in Canada, Best Business Class
Lounge in North America, and an
excellence award for managing COVID-19. Through its leading
travel loyalty Aeroplan program, Air Canada offers the ability to
earn or redeem points on the world's largest airline partner
network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of
merchandise, hotel and car rental rewards. Its freight division,
Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to
hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada's
passenger flights and cargo-only flights with its fleet of Boeing
767-300 freighters. Air Canada has
committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations
by 2050.
About United
United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the
World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, New
York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most
comprehensive global route network among North American carriers.
United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and
adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline.
For more about how to join the United team, please visit
www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at
www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company
of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol
"UAL".
Air Canada Cautionary Statement
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Air Canada's public
communications may include forward-looking statements within the
meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements may
involve, but are not limited to, comments relating to guidance,
strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions.
Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are based on
assumptions, are subject to important risks and uncertainties and
cannot be relied upon due to, amongst other things, changing
external events and general uncertainties of the business. Actual
results may differ materially from results indicated in
forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including
the factors identified in this news release and in Air Canada's
public disclosure file available at www.sedar.com. The
forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent
Air Canada's expectations as of the date of this news release and
are subject to change after such date. However, Air Canada
disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements whether because of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable
securities regulations.
United Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. All statements that are not statements of historical facts
are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such
forward-looking statements are based on historical performance and
current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about
our future financial results, goals, plans, commitments, strategies
and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and
uncertainties, known or unknown, including internal or external
factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, that are
difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our
future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ
materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements.
These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include,
among others, any delay or inability of United Airlines to realize
the expected benefits of the joint business agreement. No
forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking
statements in this press release should be evaluated together with
the many risks and uncertainties that affect United's business and
market, particularly those identified in the "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections in United's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2021, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements
included in this document are made only as of the date of this
document and except as otherwise required by applicable law or
regulation, United undertakes no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
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