Air Canada has announced that starting October 28, 2023, it will launch direct flights from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Dubai International Airport (DXB).
The new route will operate four times weekly, onboard Air Canada’s flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The new Vancouver-Dubai flights will complement Air Canada’s daily service between Toronto’s Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and DXB airport.
“We are delighted Air Canada is introducing a new service to Dubai from YVR. Direct service to Dubai, with convenient onward connection to southern India and other key destinations across the Middle East, will provide new opportunities for travel, education and access to global markets that will help meet the needs of our community and economy that supports it. I’d like to thank Air Canada for its ongoing commitment to YVR and support with connecting B.C. to the world,” Tamara Vrooman, president & CEO at Vancouver Airport Authority said in a statement.
Emirates to boost flight frequency to Toronto
Emirates has also just announced that as of April 20, 2023, it will launch two additional flights per week from Dubai to Toronto in order to serve built-up demand.
Emirates operates its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft on the Dubai-Toronto route. With the two additional flights per week, Emirates will offer close to 2,000 additional seats to serve the busy route.
The Dubai-based carrier said that the Dubai-Toronto route is highly popular amongst customers from India, UAE, Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka, while the same countries represent top destinations for travelers from Toronto.
Enhanced bilateral relations between Canada and UAE
The announcement of increased routes from Air Canada and Emirates comes as bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates and Canada have enhanced significantly, with both countries set to reap vast economic benefits across a multitude of sectors and supply chains.
On April 5, 2023, the two countries expanded their air transport agreement to allow more flights between Canada and the UAE.
According to the Canadian government, the expanded agreement allows 21 flights per week for each country. This will permit 50% more flights than the maximum number previously possible, facilitate new routes, and give airlines greater flexibility to accommodate changes in market demand.
The UAE is Canada’s largest air transport market in the Middle East.
Canada’s air transport agreement with the UAE was concluded in 1999, then expanded in 2018, and expanded once more in April 2023 with this latest development.
Canada to welcome 500,000 immigrants per year by 2025
The enhanced flight connections between Canada and the UAE are also in line with the Canadian Immigration department’s plan to welcome 500,000 immigrants per year by 2025.
The Canadian government has launched a program called ‘Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot’, in which skilled refugees are hoped to be the answer to the country’s labor shortage crisis.