Air Canada Rouge has marked its new seasonal non-stop three-times-a-week service from Budapest to Toronto with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and water cannon salute at Budapest Airport.
The carrier is Air Canada’s leisure airline and the route will operate to Air Canada’s Toronto hub, Toronto Pearson International Airport, until October 15 (westbound).
“We are excited to introduce this new service from Budapest to Toronto,” said Vijay Bathija, Vice-President, Commercial, Air Canada Leisure Group. “This … will offer our customers in Hungary increased travel options, providing not only non-stop access to Toronto, but also convenient connections through our Air Canada Toronto hub to our extensive network in Canada, the USA, Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Air Canada was joined by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, Canadian Ambassador to Hungary Lisa Helfand and Budapest Airport CEO Jost Lammers for the celebration at the departure gate to inaugurate the service.
Helfand said: “This is a great day for Canada and Hungary as [this] connection will enhance the already significant links between our two countries. This bond will soon be strengthened even further by the implementation of the Canada-EU Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement.
“I look forward to celebrating many more new and exciting collaborations between Canada and Hungary … ”
Lammers said: “[This service] will provide a further boost to the development of tourism and Hungarian-Canadian economic relations. We have no doubt [it] answers a strong market demand, as it offers a broad choice of connections in Air Canada’s extensive network for Hungarian passengers.”
Air Canada Rouge’s Budapest-Toronto flight, AC1911, departs Budapest on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 12pm and arrives in Toronto at 3.40pm local time the same day. The return flight, AC1910, departs Toronto on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7pm and arrives in Budapest at 10am the next day local time.
The route will be operated by 282-seat wide-body Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. The interior has a two-cabin configuration with 24 Premium Rouge seats offering additional legroom and enhanced service in the front cabin, and 258 Economy seats – including 35 Preferred seats with additional legroom – in the rear cabin.