Air Canada and Bell have signed a new multi-year partnership that will benefit Air Canada customers and Aeroplan members in the air and on the ground. Bell will become will become the premier sponsor of Air Canada’s in-flight Wi-Fi services and they will provide a new benefit of free in-flight messaging for Aeroplan members. On top of this there will additional benefits for newcomers and visitors to Canada.
Free in-flight messaging
Starting on May 15, 2023 Aeroplan members will benefit from free in flight messaging on all Air Canada and Air Canada Express flights worldwide. If the plane you are on offers in flight Wi-Fi and it is operative you’ll be able to send and receive text based messages via apps such as Apple’s iMessage, Meta’s WhatsApp and Messenger, Rakuten’s Viber, and Messages by Google.
This service is not just limited solely to Aeroplan members however! Members United MileagePlus, Lufthansa Group Miles & More and Emirates Skywards will also receive free in flight messaging when their account numbers are associated with an Air Canada booking.
Benefits for newcomers and visitors to Canada
The next part of the expanded partnership will see Bell provide complimentary mobile SIM cards on select inbound Air Canada international flights to newcomers and visitors to Canada. The mobile SIM can be activated in flight so when they stop off the plane they will be connected.
Aeroplan points earning and or redemption with Bell?
The press release for the expanded partnership between Air Canada and Bell hints at the possibility that we may see points earning and/or redemption with Bell:
In keeping with Air Canada and Bell’s commitment to its customers, this partnership will enable additional areas of collaboration and customer benefit, including the development and offering of Aeroplan promotional rewards
Aeroplan promotional rewards? That could mean anything – from points earning to redemption to something else. One would think though that it would revolve around earning or redeeming but I guess only time will tell.
Wrapping it up
Air Canada and Bell are further expanding their partnership with free in-flight messaging for Aeroplan members and complimentary mobile SIM cards for select international customers to Canada. The next step in the partnership that would be welcomed by all would be free in-flight Wi-Fi! Porter Airlines offers free Wi-Fi, so do Delta and JetBlue south of the border as do numerous international airlines. Will we see it on Air Canada soon? One can only hope.