Air Canada to airlift almost 1,500 Syrian refugees to Canada

With the arrival early this morning of flight AC1999 from Amman, Jordan at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, Air Canada completed the first of five flights to be operated on behalf of the Canadian Government that will bring almost 1,500 Syrian refugees to Canada.

“By next week, Air Canada will have brought close to 1,500 Syrian refugees to Canada to make a home and start a new life,” said Marcel Forget, Air Canada’s Senior Vice President, Commercial Strategy, in Amman to oversee the multi-flight airlift. “It’s a tremendous honour to be part of this initiative. Air Canada has a long history of participating in international humanitarian missions and we certainly intend to continue supporting our Government’s Syrian refugee initiative over the coming weeks and months.”

Air Canada’s second flight leaving Amman on January 8, will be operated by the airline’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Klaus Goersch, as Captain of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, presently en route to Amman to position the aircraft for its return voyage.

Over the coming days, Air Canada and Air Canada rouge will provide five flights as part of the operations led by the International Organization for Migration in collaboration with Canadian authorities: two departing Amman on January 8 and 10, 2016 with mainline Air Canada Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft configured to seat 298 passengers, and three departing Amman on January 6, 9 and 11 with Air Canada rouge Boeing 767-300ER aircraft configured to seat 282 passengers.  All flights will arrive at Toronto Pearson International Airport with the exception of the January 9th flight that will arrive at Montreal Trudeau International Airport.

MONTREAL, Jan. 7, 2016 /CNW Telbec/