Did you see some plane-to-plane action today?<\/p>\n
Air Canada was filming its\u00a0Airbus A321XLR aircraft around the Lower Mainland on Friday, Oct. 16, using another aircraft to capture the plane soaring through clear conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We\u2019re planning to do air-to-air filming around YVR, the Lower Mainland, and throughout Vancouver Island on Friday, Oct. 16. You may see our new Airbus\u00a0A321XLR together with a Phenom 300 Jet flying closely together!” the carrier wrote in a post on X.<\/p>\n
Air Canada does not own an Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 but uses the aircraft to shoot videos of its aircraft for commercials.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Air Canada spokesperson Angela Mah tells Vancouver Is Awesome that the airline is entering a “new era in fleet modernization” with the new narrow-body aircraft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“The air-to-air filming will produce visual assets which will be used across a broad range of Air Canada\u2019s brand, communications, marketing and promotional initiatives globally,” she adds.<\/p>\n
“Air Canada flies worldwide, and the XLR operates to international destinations in Europe. With the stunning backdrop of British Columbia\u2019s coastal mountains against the Pacific Ocean, white clouds, and Vancouver\u2019s outstanding urban background, we are proud to showcase the best of B.C.\u2019s spectacular nature as part of Air Canada\u2019s sharing the best of Canada with the world, as well as promote Canada to customers in international destinations.”<\/p>\n
What should you know about the new Air Canada aircraft?<\/p>\n
Canada’s flag carrier debuted the first Airbus A321XLR aircraft at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in June, featuring the airline’s new Glowing Hearted cabin design<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The new aircraft has 182 seats, including 14 lie-flat Air Canada Signature Class seats and 68 economy seats, with 36 preferred seats, offering additional legroom.<\/p>\n Mah says the airline currently has four\u00a0XLR aircraft and Air Canada is set to welcome 30 Airbus A321XLRs to its fleet over the next few years.<\/p>\n Alex Lefevre, Air Canada’s vice-president of network planning and global sales, said at aircraft launch that the new plane features the first-ever lie-flat seats on a single-aisle aircraft in Canada. Now, the airline\u00a0can operate select routes year-round that it offered seasonally and introduce some new ones.<\/p>\n When can we expect Vancouver flights?<\/p>\n Air Canada noticed an interesting post-COVID pandemic passenger trend. More passengers were willing to spend more\u00a0for a business or premium experience.<\/p>\n “So now we see a strong demand for lie-flat from many different markets, and not only in international markets, but also in North America,” he added.<\/p>\n Initially, the aircraft will fly routes from eastern Canadian cities to Europe. But it will begin service to Vancouver from cities like Toronto and Montreal in 2027, Lefevre explains.<\/p>\n “There will be new routes.\u00a0There will be more markets to be announced. You’re going to see that aircraft coming very close to your own airport very soon.”<\/p>\n Check out a\u00a0photo gallery of the new aircraft<\/a>\u00a0and all the perks you can expect inside.<\/p>\n Find more information about exciting destinations in B.C. and across the globe, as well as travel deals and tips, by signing up for V.I.A.’s weekly travel newsletter The Wanderer<\/a>. Since travel deals can sell out, find out the day they are posted by signing up for our daily Travel Deals newsletter.<\/a><\/p>\n