CHARLESTON- The flag carrier Air Canada (AC) is resuming service from Toronto (YYZ) to Charleston (CHS), marking the South Carolina airport’s sole international route after British Airways (BA) halted operations there in October 2019.
This development means that next spring, Charleston will become one of the destinations served by Air Canada, connecting it directly with 52 U.S. airports. While there may be more additions in the future, this number is still below the 55 destinations served in the summer of 2019, which was the last normal summer before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Air Canada Toronto to Charleston Flights
Commencing on March 28, 2024, just before airlines in the Northern Hemisphere transition to their summer schedules, the route covers a distance of 744 miles (1,197 km) and will operate daily.
Booking data indicates that Charleston ranked as Toronto’s 14th largest underserved U.S. mainland market in terms of point-to-point passenger demand in July 2023.
Air Canada Express will operate this route using 76-seat, two-class Embraer E175 aircraft. The flight schedule is as follows, with all times specified in local time. It’s worth noting that there is nearly a 10-hour ground time due to crew overnighting, and only one set of crew will be involved.
This route will also facilitate connections through Toronto to various destinations across Canada and Europe, serving a market of approximately 17,000 passengers in July (equivalent to around 550 passengers daily). However, it’s important to note that some major European cities may have longer connection times.
- Toronto to Charleston: Flight AC8629, Departure at 18:20, Arrival at 20:38 (Duration: 2 hours and 18 minutes)
- Charleston to Toronto: Flight AC8628, Departure at 10:30, Arrival at 12:41 (Duration: 2 hours and 21 minutes)
Examining the data from the US Department of Transportation’s T-100 records, it becomes evident that Air Canada’s previous service to Charleston occurred between July 2001 and January 2003.
This period was marked by significant events and substantial disruptions, during which Air Canada employed the Bombardier CRJ100 aircraft for this route. Over this timeframe, approximately 19,000 roundtrip passengers were transported, with an average seat load factor of 44%.
Strong US Network
As of September 29, with the possibility of adjustments, data from Cirium reveals that Air Canada’s US network for the summer of 2023 encompasses 52 destinations across 32 states, including Puerto Rico, with services being operated by Express and Rouge.
In the upcoming April to August period, there are a total of 112 routes, and these include recent additions, such as the Montreal-Austin route scheduled to commence in May 2024.
During this time, an average of 211 daily departing flights is expected, factoring in variations in service frequency, with more flights during peak summer months, especially from the East Coast hubs.
While nearly 97% of transborder flights will originate from Air Canada’s primary hubs in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, seven Canadian airports will offer these services. Toronto will connect to 47 out of the 52 US destinations, with the exceptions being Anchorage, Honolulu, Kona, Kahului, and Orange County.
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