Many in the airline industry are stating major airline alliances are a dying breed and if the past few weeks are any indication from Air Canada, maybe this is the case. Not that The Star Alliance or the other two major alliances will cease to exist, it does seem that airlines are finding value in partnering with airlines that make sense for connecting customers to places that were difficult prior to the partnership. The latest is this new tie up between rivals Air Canada and Cathay Pacific! Interesting enough is that we reached out to WestJet to see how it affects their relationship with Cathay Pacific and so far all is still good there. So as we speak both of Canada’s major airlines have a relationship with Cathay Pacific!
MONTREAL, Dec. 22, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ – Cathay Pacific and Air Canada today announced they have finalized a strategic cooperation agreement that will enhance travel services for Cathay Pacific customers when travelling within Canada and for Air Canada customers travelling via Hong Kong to Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.
Cathay Pacific and Air Canada customers will be able to book travel to their final destination on a single ticket with through-checked bags as well as enjoy reciprocal mileage accrual and redemption benefits. Tickets will go on sale January 12, 2017 for travel beginning January 19, 2017.
Air Canada will offer codeshare services to an additional eight cities in Southeast Asia on flights operated by Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon connecting with Air Canada’s double daily service to Hong Kong from Toronto and Vancouver. Air Canada will place its code on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights to Manila, Cebu, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.
Cathay Pacific customers will be able to book travel on Air Canada flights connecting with Cathay Pacific’s up to three daily flights to Vancouver and up to two daily services to Toronto from Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific will place its code on Air Canada flights to all major cities across Canada including Winnipeg, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Kelowna, Regina, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Halifax and St. Johns.
When travelling on these services, members of Air Canada’s loyalty program, Aeroplan, and Cathay Pacific’s travel and lifestyle rewards program, Asia Miles, will be eligible to earn and redeem miles on the above mentioned codeshare routes.