Air Canada plans to transfer all its Boeing 737 Max 8s to leisure-focused subsidiary Air Canada Rouge over coming months, while Rouge’s Airbus A320s and A321s will receive cabin upgrades before joining Air Canada’s main fleet.
The company says the latter process is already underway, with 15 upgraded A321s having already been shifted from Rouge to Air Canada.
Rouge, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Canada, currently operates 17 A319s, five A320s and 13 A321s, according to data provided by aviation analytics firm Cirium. The carrier’s ageing A319s will be retired as part of an ongoing fleet renewal plan, leaving Rouge with an all-737 Max fleet.
To support the planned fleet transition, Air Canada will open a new Rouge base in Vancouver, “providing more choices for leisure travellers from Western Canada”, the airline said last week. Air Canada does not specify when the base will open.
Air Canada also revealed its “most-comprehensive cabin renewal programme yet”, as it plans to bring new interiors and technology to aircraft across its mainline fleet, Air Canada Express division and Rouge.
Rouge will receive the entirety of Air Canada’s 737 Max 8s in a process expected to extend “through 2026”, the Montreal-headquartered carrier says.
Cirium data shows Air Canada operates nearly 50 737 Max 8s configured with 169 seats.
The Rouge Max 8s will carry 177 seats, including 12 in business class, 18 “preferred extra legroom” economy seats and 147 economy seats – all with in-seat entertainment and free wi-fi for loyalty programme members.
”This programme includes an entirely new Air Canada Rouge product with cutting-edge in-flight entertainment, fast, free wi-fi and seats that recline for all customers,” says Mark Nasr, Air Canada chief operations officer.
Air Canada adds it will bring new design standards to the 26 A220s it has on order, which include larger overhead bins.
Starting next year, interior retrofits will start rolling out across Air Canada Express-branded aircraft operated by regional partner Jazz – namely, Embraer 175 and MHIRJ CRJ900 regional jets.
”This is in addition to the previously announced upgrades to 25 De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft, which will undergo a full cabin redesign to install new seating, new interiors and, on aircraft flying from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, next generation fast, free wi-fi,” the airline says.
