Twenty years ago, Montreal-based Air Canada offered only three daily long-hauls out of its hometown.
But a relentless focus on boosting capacity from airports across Canada, including the facility in its own backyard, has led to a remarkable transformation.
Speaking at a special soirée in Montreal on 12JUN with Open Jaw on the scene, Air Canada’s Mark Galardo, a self-professed aviation geek who grew up in the city with Dorval-bound planes flying over his head, said YUL will have up to 25 daily departures to 28 destinations this summer.
“Most Montrealers don’t even realize this, but Montreal is now a top 5 transatlantic hub on the North American continent, whereas not so long ago, we weren’t even top 15,” said Galardo, Executive Vice President, Revenue and Network Planning for Air Canada. “Today, Montreal is in the same league as cities like New York, Chicago, Toronto, Washington and Atlanta.”
“We are here to celebrate,” he said in an eighth-floor ballroom at the stylish Humaniti Hotel in downtown Montreal. “With the arrival of new routes to Madrid, Seoul, Stockholm, Austin, Saint-Louis, Montreal has officially become a world-class hub, and the best is yet to come.
“In the next five years, we will receive 70 new aircraft, several of which will have the capacity to grow our international network, and we have even greater ambitions for Montreal,” Galardo said.
Galardo expanded on his thoughts in a later exchange with Open Jaw.
“Being raised largely in the 90s, watching the saga of Mirabel/Dorval, and having seen Montreal economically decline in that decade, it took a look of vision, perseverance and strength of conviction to achieve what we did, particularly in Montreal.”
But it’s not just about YUL, he said.
“I’m equally passionate about YYZ and YVR development. I’ll argue that I spend most of my time building YVR into a Pacific hub.
“Some favourite routes I’ve launched have been from those hubs, and I’m equally proud of what we accomplished” in Vancouver and Toronto.
Quebec-based travel advisors and industry executives at the 12JUN affair were treated to Spanish sangria as a nod to Air Canada’s new flights from Montreal to Madrid. A fine country singer from Austin also serenaded the group with tunes like “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and “I Got Friends in Low Places.” One could quibble that it was more about friends at 30,000 feet, but it didn’t stop anyone from enjoying the music.
Speaking at the big party, Lisa Pierce, VP of Global Sales and Air Canada Vacations, thanked Air Canada partners and agents.
“This is a great opportunity to celebrate all our new routes,” she said.
“For those who know me well, aviation has been in my blood since I was a young kid,” Galardo told the crowd. “If you were to tell 12-year-old Mark that one day, Montreal would be linked directly to countries like Brazil, Japan, India and now Korea, I’d say you’d be dreaming… and maybe a bit insane.
“Today, we make what was once an impossible dream a reality. Let’s all be proud of this achievement.”
