Air Canada and ITA Airways have officially deepened their collaboration with the introduction of a new codeshare agreement, enhancing connectivity between Canada, Italy, and several international destinations. This development marks a key step forward in strengthening the relationship between the two national carriers.
“We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with ITA Airways through our new codeshare agreement that complements our robust network to Italy. This deepening of ties will allow customers travelling on Air Canada to Rome-Fiumicino to conveniently book and seamlessly connect to ten popular destinations across Italy, Africa, Israel and Albania. Likewise, ITA Airways customers arriving in Toronto will benefit from access to 10 key Canadian and U.S. cities across our network.”
Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer and President, Cargo at Air Canada.
Under the new arrangement, Air Canada’s flight code (AC) will be applied to a number of ITA Airways-operated routes from Rome-Fiumicino. These include five destinations within Italy, Lamezia Terme, Palermo, Catania, Florence, and Bari, along with three cities in Africa: Cairo, Tunis, and Algiers. Additional destinations include Tirana and Tel Aviv, though the latter is currently not in operation.
Conversely, ITA Airways will add its AZ code to select Air Canada services departing from Toronto Pearson International Airport. These routes will connect to key cities across Canada, such as Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and St John’s, as well as four U.S. destinations: Boston, Orlando, Dallas, and Fort Lauderdale.
“With work underway to facilitate ITA Airways’ entry into Star Alliance, we are developing significant partnership synergies. This will form the foundation for a strong, long-term relationship between our two flag-carrying airlines.”
The agreement takes effect immediately, with codeshare tickets available for purchase now for travel beginning July 21. In addition to the codeshare expansion, the two carriers are working toward reciprocal benefits for members of their frequent flyer programmes, allowing for points accrual and redemption across both networks.
“The codeshare agreement with Air Canada is a great step forward for our growth strategy. This partnership improves connectivity for our passengers travelling between Italy and North America, our first market beyond Italy, serving both leisure and business travellers. Moreover, it enables us to offer seamless connections for passengers of Italian origin residing in Canada and the United States, facilitating their journeys to Italy and beyond, while providing them the opportunity to fully experience the excellence of Made in Italy, a heritage that ITA Airways proudly represents as an ambassador worldwide.”
Joerg Eberhart, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of ITA Airways.
This partnership complements Air Canada’s already extensive service to Italy. Over the summer season, the airline is operating up to 39 flights per week, offering more than 13,000 seats to the country. A new route between Montreal and Naples was added in May, joining existing direct services to Rome, Milan, and Venice. Customers can also take advantage of Air Canada’s intermodal rail partnership with Trenitalia, Italy’s largest rail provider, giving access to up to 30 additional Italian destinations via high-speed and regional trains.
Meanwhile, ITA Airways continues to bolster its summer operations, currently offering service to 59 destinations: 16 domestic, 27 international, and 16 intercontinental. During peak season, the airline also flies to 12 Mediterranean hotspots, including Spanish and Greek islands, as well as the Italian isles of Lampedusa and Pantelleria. ITA Airways has further expanded its network reach through codeshare agreements with several Lufthansa Group airlines, offering passengers convenient access to over 100 destinations across Europe and intercontinental markets.
Note: Service to Tunis and Algiers is pending final regulatory approval.
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