Air Canada and Pacific Coastal Airlines have announced a bilateral interline partnership that allows eligible travellers to book and check in for connecting trips on one itinerary.
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Air Canada travellers looking to connect to communities across British Columbia from destinations around the world will have new booking and ticketing options following a newly announced interline partnership with Richmond-based Pacific Coastal Airlines (PCA).
PCA announced the bilateral interline agreement on Wednesday, Sept. 23. PCA president Quentin Smith described the partnership as “a significant milestone” for the airline and for the communities PCA serves, saying the deal will make it easier for customers to travel beyond B.C. while also creating new opportunities for visitors, businesses, and families.
Under the agreement, travellers can purchase a single ticket for eligible itineraries that include connecting flights across the companies’ networks, including Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express flights. The partnership also allows customers to check in and receive boarding passes for all flights at the first point of departure, simplifying what previously could require separate check-in processes across separate airline products.
Air Canada’s senior director of global partnerships, Karim Rachi, said the interline agreement strengthens regional connectivity by linking PCA’s network with Air Canada’s global reach. Rachi added that the arrangement is intended to make it easier for travellers to reach destinations in Canada and around the world while supporting tourism and economic growth in B.C. communities.
Travellers can find eligible interline itineraries through Air Canada’s website and through online travel agencies. The partnership is designed to cover trips that qualify for the interline arrangement, rather than all routes between the networks.
The announcement arrives amid a busy period for Pacific Coastal Airlines. The airline recently said it entered an agreement with Harbour Air to form a new regional airline group. That group will include 59 aircraft and is intended to reach 25 communities from a key hub in Vancouver.
The expanded regional airline plans also include more service for B.C. residents and new connections across the country and around the world through Vancouver International Airport (YVR). PCA and Harbour Air currently operate up to 300 daily flights across Harbour Air’s seaplane network and PCA’s complementary wheeled-flight network, forming the basis for the region-focused connectivity the interline partnership seeks to extend to Air Canada’s broader routes.
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