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Air Transat is an airline based in Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, operating scheduled and charter flights, serving 60 destinations in 25 countries. The airline is owned and operated by Transat A.T. Inc. During the summer season its main destinations are Europe and in the winter season the Caribbean, Mexico, USA and Central America. Its main Canadian gateways are Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport. The airline also has operations at Calgary International Airport, Québec/Jean Lesage International Airport and others.

Air Transat made its inaugural flight on November 14, 1987, travelling from Montreal to Acapulco. Six years later, Air Transat assumed defunct Nationair's maintenance base and aircraft. Today, the company books 3 million passengers a year.

Air Transat is one of Canada's largest airlines, after Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet. Air Transat has 2,100 (2010) employees. The airline operates only wide-body aircraft. On February 13, 2011, Air Transat Flight TS163, operated with their first all female flight crew from Cancun to Vancouver.

On August 24, 2001, Air Transat Flight 236, an Airbus A330-200, en route from Toronto to Lisbon with 306 crew and passengers, made an emergency landing in the Azores without engine power due to fuel starvation over the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft safely landed at Lajes Air Base, on the island of Terceira. The aircraft was evacuated in 90 seconds. All 306 passengers on board survived. An investigation revealed that the cause of the accident was a fuel leak in the number two engine which was caused by an incorrect part installed in the hydraulics system by Air Transat maintenance staff. The part did not maintain adequate clearance between the hydraulic lines and the fuel line, allowing vibration in the hydraulic lines to degrade the fuel line and cause the leak. The aircraft involved in the incident was repaired and remains in service with Air Transat.

The Air Transat fleet consists of the following aircraft, as of May 2011:

12  Airbus A310-300, Exit from service 2013-2016

6  Airbus A330-200,  2 are ex-Mexicana, 1 is ex-Edelweiss Air

4  Airbus A330-300,   Ex-Dragonair

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Air Transat Airbus A330-300 in current livery landing in Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport

Photo source:  Hussein Abdallah


Posted Thu, Jul 7 2011 10:26 AM by flyvertosset | Report Abuse