Air Canada Back in Trinidad After 5 Years
by Bruce Parkinson
Air Canada and its flight attendants remain without a deal.
Air Canada has officially resumed service between Canada and Trinidad after a long hiatus. Flight AC984, operated by a Boeing 737 Max 8, carried 156 passengers when it arrived from Toronto Pearson Airport to Piarco International early on Saturday morning.
Despite the 1 am arrival time amidst rain showers, the inaugural flight was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute.
Air Canada will fly between Canada and T&T three times weekly – on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays — adding over 4,000 monthly seats to the market. Canada is T&T’s second-largest source market, accounting for over 35,000 visitors annually.
In an interview with the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian, Airports Authority Trinidad & Tobago general manager Hayden Newton said AC’s return was a “strong vote of confidence in our twin island state.”
Newton also said Air Canada may not be the only Canadian carrier offering the destination in the future. He told officials gathered for the inaugural flight that WestJet is also considering service to both Piarco International and ANR Robinson International in 2026. WestJet has operated between Canada and Port of Spain in the past.
Michael Callan, Canadian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, said the return of Air Canada to Trinidad and Tobago will be a productive as well as profitable business. He added that connections have never mattered more in a world increasingly characterized by uncertainty, change and distance.
