(l-r): Air Canada's Chris Garton
GM for Asia & Pacific & Claude Morin - VP, Global Sales
(l-r): Anita Chu & Patrick Wang, Managers from Regency Travel & Barinder Goyal, Manager, Goyal Travels
(l-r): Joe Chan, President, Pacita Travel Worldwide; Firmy Chu, Director of Operations, Jade Tours & M.K. Lam, Managing Director, JBC Travel
(l-r): SkyLink's BDM Blanka Sredanovic & Regional Sales Manager Western Canada Bert Parada; Kelvin Chu, Director of Operations, Charming Holidays & Anna Buchnea, GM - Sales Development & Communications, Air Canada
How apt! Air Canada chose to announce its plans for Asia at one of Vancouver’s finest Chinese restaurants – the Imperial Chinese Seafood Restaurant. This fact was not missed by the 90 travel agents who turned up.
Asia is a critical market for us, said host Claude Morin, Vice President Global Sales for Air Canada. The carrier “had a wonderful summer season,” announced Morin. He went on to thank the travel agents in the room for helping Air Canada to achieve its “most successful year in Asia.” From January to September 2010, the airline raised capacity to this region by 17%, resulting in 22% growth in the number of passengers compared to the same period in 2009.
For winter, Morin announced ambitious plans to continue operating the summer schedule of daily flights from Vancouver to Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul. This is a big increase from last winter where there were daily flights only to Narita and Hong Kong. In addition, from the end of January, the airline will commence flights from Vancouver into Haneda, Japan – this former domestic airport is situated close to downtown Tokyo, making it much more convenient for passengers. This means that there will be two daily flights from Vancouver to Tokyo, to both Narita and Haneda.
Onboard, passengers can look forward to CBC news coverage and a new Duty Free program specially catering to those flying to and from Asia. Chris Garton, General Manager Asia & Pacific, who is based in Tokyo, revealed that the airline’s Business Class is doing well. Among its selling points are seats that can be converted into fully flat beds and single row seats that allow everyone access to the aisle.
At the end of the luncheon, during the lucky draw, a delighted Natalie Ogivly from Methanex Corp. won two confirmed Business Class tickets to any of the five destinations in Asia serviced by Air Canada.
The dim sum lunch was served (12 dishes in total) and demolished in quick time. “Ooh, that was good,” echoed many an agent as everyone rushed back to work. It was hard trying to not fall asleep after that sumptuous meal.
