YVR to be first Canadian airport with direct flights to Brisbane

Air Canada will be offering three non-stop flights per week from Vancouver to Brisbane starting June 16, 2016, making Vancouver International Airport (YVR) the only Canadian airport to offer direct flights to the Australian city.

The airline plans to increase the frequency of flights to daily, pending government approval.

Skyline of Brisbane, Australia | Shutterstock

“The new route increases our presence in the Asia-Pacific market at a time when trade and travel in the region and between North America is growing, with a further boost expected from the Trans-Pacific Partnership now under negotiation,” said Air Canada president and CEO Calin Rovinescu. “

“Already, Air Canada commits $2 billion worth of aircraft to the Pacific market each day and Brisbaneis the third new Pacific route we have announced in the past year, after Toronto-Tokyo Haneda and Vancouver-Osaka.”

Visitors from Australia to British Columbia grew 6.3% in 2014. The Vancouver Airport Authority estimates the direct flights to Vancouver from Brisbane – the third most populous city in Australia – will increase tourism further, bumping up provincial GDP by approximately $9 million annually. It also estimates the flights will support an additional $5.3 million in wages in B.C. as 134 direct jobs are added at YVR, in hotels and at local tourist attractions.

“YVR welcomes this new service and thousands of excited travellers with open arms,” said Vancouver Airport Authority’s Craig Richmond.

“It’s a perfect route – Australians love to visit our ski hills and cities while Brisbane and the Great Barrier Reef are a constant draw for Canadians.”

Air Canada operates daily service to Sydney on Boeing 777 aircraft. The new service to Brisbane will use Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Brisbane is the capital city of Queensland, an area known for being a tourism centre with such attractions as the Australian Gold Coast and the Whitsunday Islands.